


Fallen Friend

by QTXAdsy



Series: Spider-Man 2 Game Universe [3]
Category: Marvel, Spider-Man (Movies - Raimi), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Corruption, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Friends to Enemies, Marriage Proposal, New York City, Revenge, Sad Ending, Seduction to the Dark Side, Spider-Man Interacting with New Yorkers, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29048925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QTXAdsy/pseuds/QTXAdsy
Summary: Third in the Spider-Man 2 game universe series, it has been a year since Doc Ock's passing, Peter has moved in with Felicia Hardy and has finally accepted the life of the hero more than ever. However, Harry Osborn has returned from a long absence and since he found out about Peter's secret identity, things between the two old friends will sadly never be same again as revenge is all that Harry wants.
Relationships: Felicia Hardy/Peter Parker
Series: Spider-Man 2 Game Universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2120976
Kudos: 4





	1. One Year Later

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! Before you read this and if you have only just found this story, I do recommend you start from the beginning of this series as things are quite different from the canon. If you have already done so, let's start with this new story!

**FALLEN FRIEND**

**Written by QTXAdsy**

**Chapter 1**

**One Year Later**

Late that New York evening, a van was driving recklessly while avoiding traffic and being chased by police cars. Overhead, two costumed individuals, named Spider-Man and Black Cat, were swinging above the busy traffic and to anyone, it looked an awesome site. Oddly enough for the citizens of New York, no one seemed to bother about the two characters as it had become an ordinary sight to them. As the night-time chase ensured, the van suddenly managed to escape through a brief gap in the traffic, leaving the police cars stuck in the traffic behind. The stranded police officers could only look up at the costumed characters above as they carried on the chase, each of them muttering a silent 'good luck' to the city's vigilantes as they were soon far out in front.

The occupants of the van had quickly become aware of the two vigilantes behind them and began to swerve the van round of set of larger trucks as they headed towards the George Washington Bridge, by now, the criminals only way out of Manhattan. One of the van's occupants then leaned out of the window with a large silver gun aiming at Spider-Man. The man fired the weapon and the masked hero managed to avoid a surprisingly powerful shot that was not like any normal gun he had seen before. The force of that very shot caused the van to suddenly veer off course towards the edge of the road, crashing into a couple of cars, then finally smashing into the railing, and hurtling down into a small park just ten feet below.

The van landed nose first then fell onto its left side, Spider-Man and Black Cat swung down knowing that this was the chance to finish off the criminals. Just as the robbers were slowly trying to escape from the mangled vehicle, Black Cat landed on top of one of the criminals and quickly knocked him out. Spider-Man landed shortly afterwards and headed over towards the rear of the van, just as a couple of guys attempted to escape. The duo continued to fight the large numbers of convicts with Spider-Man webbing them up in time ready to be taken away by the police once they would arrive. Just as Spider-Man and Black Cat had taken down most of the unarmed thieves, a couple of the others who had managed to avoid the twosome had acquired some of the strange looking hi-tech weapons and quickly started to open fire on the couple. One of criminals activated a small device on his wrist however...

Both heroes avoided the strong blast from the guns, which seemed to have five times the firing power than that of a shotgun as one of the blasts that missed them fired into the side of a nearby building and left an impact that resembled that of an asteroid crater.

"Where'd these guys get these guns from?" Black Cat called out to Spider-Man as they landed away from the blast.

"Beats me," Spider-Man replied as he yanked over one of the men that had a weapon and punched him in the face, knocking him out. Just then he noticed the other four guys had gotten cold feet of facing the pair of heroes and promptly turned on their heels and made a dash for freedom. "Cat! Stop them!"

"Already on it!" Black Cat replied as she fired one of her grappling hooks onto a pillar above the feeling men before using it to swing down on top of them. The men had completely lost their faith that much that within a minute, Black Cat was able to fight them all off by herself until they all lay there unconscious and defeated. A good example to show that Black Cat was more than just a pretty face but a major ally for Spider-Man.

A bit of silence followed after the last goon had gone down before Black Cat stretched her arms up and spoke up. "Yep, just another night of work."

"Not bad for you doing it alone I might add," Spider-Man added jokingly as he began webbing up the thugs and putting them next to the crumbled van. He then looked over to some of the fancy weapons that had been using and pondered on where the criminals could've gotten them. He wasn't so sure, but there was something about these weapons that seemed to make him think that he'd seen this form of weaponry before.

"Felicia," Spider-Man called over to his partner, in which the aforementioned woman looked back at him looking somewhat taken aback that he would say her real identity like that, though she looked back at the defeated goons who were all thankfully out for the count.

"What is, Pete?" She asked as she placed one of the criminals over to the rest of the bunch lying tied up by the van.

"These guns," Peter pointed out to her. "Do these look familiar to you?"

She knelt by one of the weapons and examined the sleek, silver weapon. "Now that you mention it, they do look like those ones at that warehouse along with those big robot suits, remember them?"

Peter nodded; he remembered that night-time raid a year ago when he and Felicia ambushed that secret auction in which a large gang was attempting to sell some dangerous looking weapons to the highest bidder. Though they managed to stop them, he was furious with Black Cat that the whole ambush had been done in a carefree manner by her which could have almost gotten her or both killed. It was strange that after his outburst at her that he really thought about his relationship with her that one thing led to another and, to some surprise, they eventually became a crime fighting couple. Then again throughout Peter's life, strange things would always happen...

His train of thought was soon caught short when he heard the police sirens heading their way. "Finally, they found their way out of the traffic at last!" Black Cat remarked, "Took their sweet time too."

"C'mon," Spider-Man replied. "Let's get out of here before the cops show up." With that said, Spider-Man had one last look at the weapons he had wanted to know more about before firing a line of webbing towards a tall building before finally swinging away alongside his crime fighting girlfriend.

**XXX**

The two of them had just left the site behind just as the police cars arrived to take away the criminals, it was in this moment while swinging over the streets that Peter looked over to his girlfriend and smiled under his mask. He began to realize that it would be their first anniversary as a couple soon and he began thinking back to when he first met her in that art museum and the various encounters they had afterwards which mostly were chases to try and catch up with her. At that time he was struggling to wonder how to juggle his superhero life alongside his normal life and maybe if he should give up his hero life, it was thanks to Felicia Hardy however that he regained his confidence to become the true hero he was meant to be, probably fulfilling his uncle's promise about great power comes great responsibility and staying true to his late his words.

In some funny irony after all those chases, they had when they first met, Peter had 'caught' her in a sense for them to become a couple.

Another good thing from this was now he was living at Felicia's penthouse and was no living in that horrid and cramp apartment which Felicia had never let him forget about it saying that it should have been condemned years ago.

On the other hand, some things were not all that good for him; not including Jonah Jameson and the Bugle's attitude about Spider-Man which hadn't changed a day. One thing was that his social life was poor. Apart from Felicia Hardy, the only person he still had left was his dear Aunt May, who had since moved away from their old home and into a smaller apartment in the city, not to mention she had since been introduced to Felicia and after a somewhat rocky start, May eventually approved Peter's new girlfriend. Also, Peter's high school crush, Mary Jane Watson, had married Jonah's son, James Jameson and was living away from the city, but the real sad one was his now, possibly unfixable, friendship with his best friend Harry Osborn.

Ever since Norman Osborn's death, Harry had since held a personal grudge against Spider-Man and this had caused a strain on Peter's relationship with Harry as he had demanded Peter to tell him Spider-Man's secret identity which Peter had tried many ways to play it down. But like with anything, Harry soon found out that Peter _was_ Spider-Man when he unmasked him at the mansion when Doc Ock brought him there in exchange for the tritium. That was without question, the moment in which things would never be the same between the two men. A tragic thought considering that when they were children, they were the best of friends.

Also, ever since that unmasking, Harry had disappeared from the public eye for nearly a year now with some speculating that Oscorp was planning on something big while others casually assumed that Harry had fallen off the face of the earth due to the disastrous losses he and the company had made over the late Otto Octavius' failed fusion reactor project and was trying to recover his losses somehow. Peter had wanted to tell Harry the truth about Norman's death and with him being the Green Goblin, yet he had to stay truthful to Norman's promise of not to tell Harry about it. Then again, was Norman Osborn's advice the right thing to follow? Could this all had been handled differently?

As he swung over a couple of rooftops with Black Cat, Peter knew that despite all the many 'what if' thoughts on his mind, he had to get on with life and push all these thoughts out of his head and carry on with his hero life with Felicia. It was in that moment however in which his Spider-Sense went off and he looked around seeing whatever could be going on.

"What the hell?" Black Cat gasped as she saw something coming in from the right.

Just as Peter turned to look in that direction, something or someone suddenly knocked him back, which caused him to lose his grip on his web line.

"Hold on!" Black Cat called out to him, as she turned round to attempt to help him. She herself was also knocked backwards and it was only then once Spider-Man fired another web line at a nearby building that he could barely see who or what was causing this. Just some feet away from him was a darkened character who, much to Peter's incredulity, was hovering in the air thanks to a hover glider...

"No..." Peter could only utter before the character charged into him again and this time punched him squarely into the gut.

Spider-Man yelled in pain as he tumbled through the air and landed on top of a ventilation pipe on a nearby rooftop. The mystery character flew in again, but not before Black Cat came in with a flying kick and making the character and the glider to go hurtling downwards, the person seemly being able to still have his feet attached to the glider regardless. The downed vigilante saw this and fired a long web line towards the character and attempted to web yank him off his glider, this only made the individual head into his direction and the glider began to fire at him.

Thanks to his Spider-sense, Peter was able to roll out of the way as the glider went screaming over him. He tried to get up but felt a sharp pain in him thanks to that impact.

"I'll keep him busy!" Black Cat shouted as she swung over towards the mystery person to give Spider-Man more time. Just as she was about to give the guy another swift kick, the guy seemed to read Black Cat immediately and delivered a major strike to her face, making her fall from the air like a ragdoll.

"Cat!" Spider-Man yelled out, but there was no reply as she continued to fall and was clearly unconscious due to that punch. In a millisecond, Spider-Man leapt upwards to grab her and quickly swung away from the scene. With his partner down and having been completely caught off guard by this mystery person, whoever they had been fighting, had won.

Even as Spider-Man tried swinging away from the area as fast as he could with Black Cat's body on his shoulder, he could feel the person now chasing after them as the guns on the glider began firing at him. Peter felt the sweat starting to go down his face beneath the mask and for a whole straight five minutes, all he seemed to do was dodge gunshots, head into random alleyways and above all, not even dare to look back just to see how close this guy was behind him.

"C'mon, _c'mon_ gotta keep going faster!" Peter wheezed as he could feel his lungs about to give way thanks to the relentless chase. It was then he could see the Empire State building nearby and without thinking straight, he headed over to the towering building in a last-ditch attempt to escape.

The firing gunshots ruthlessly fired at him, it was something of a miracle to Spider-Man that he hadn't been hit once and was only thanking his Spider-sense that was keeping him alive.

Another minute went by as Peter managed to find a large crevice section in the side of the building that seemed big enough to hide in for him and Felicia ( _"Has the city gotten a lousy maintenance force?"_ Peter's thoughts must have said in that moment.) Not needing a second opinion, he swiftly fled into the crevice with Black Cat and prayed hope that he wasn't spotted, make the guy lose track of him or maybe that the character had given up on him, either way Peter didn't really care in that moment.

For now, there was only silence as the only sound was Peter's heavy breathing as he could finally catch his breath from that mad chase. He waited a little more and much to his relief; he never heard the glider from the outside. Peter pulled off his mask and allowed the cool midnight air to kiss his sweating face and then went over to make sure that Black Cat was ok.

"Felicia?" Peter asked her softly as he shook her slightly just to try and awake her. She groaned in response.

"Felicia, c'mon it's ok, he's gone," Peter added as he had another glance to the outside just to be cure that the person was gone.

The platinum blonde's green eyes flickered opened and she looked around. "W-what happened?"

"It's alright," Peter assured her. "Whoever it was has gone now."

Felicia groaned as she held her face, Peter could see that she had gotten herself a black eye from that strike. " _Urgh_ , that's going to leave a bad mark in the morning, but who was that guy that attacked us?"

Peter sighed as he looked out on the city beyond them. "I don't know, but whoever it has we have to stop him." They wouldn't know at that time, but not only would they eventually know who this character was, but this also lead Peter on a personal and tragic, collision course.


	2. Just Another Day

**Chapter 2**

**Just Another Day**

At the crack of dawn, the morning sun rose over New York and illuminated the city in a golden glow. For the citizens of the city, it felt like the start of just another day, though the same couldn't be said for Peter and Felicia. In their penthouse, Felicia lay on the couch wearing her pyjamas and housecoat while eating her breakfast and watching the morning news on the flat screen TV on the wall. She still was nursing that now visible contusion on her face that made her look like a battered partner in a troubled relationship. Despite how different she and Peter were, their relationship couldn't be further from the truth.

In the kitchen, Peter, while dressed in his Spider-Man outfit minus his mask, was making his own breakfast, though he was still thinking over that surprise ambush attack he and Felicia eventually were defeated and fled for their lives. The brunette knew that the city now had another super villain on the loose and that he and his girlfriend were going to have their work cut out to stop whoever this person was, though for some reason he felt that there was something eerily familiar about this guy Peter felt, that glider especially rang some alarms in his mind.

It was in that moment while he was reflecting on this when he suddenly heard Felicia cry out from the living room. "Peter! Come here, look at this!"

He quickly ran in through and first saw Felicia now sat up on the couch with her staring at the TV with her eyes wide in shock. Peter looked over to the TV and could see the local news channel was reporting on something, what it was talking about made him gasp. On TV, there was life footage of a crowd of journalists and photographers taking photos of a person, along with a small entourage, getting out of a car and entering through a set of doors which Peter assumed was some mansion, was none other than Harry Osborn.

"Is that really _him_?" Felicia asked incredulously. "Is Harry Osborn back after all these years?"

Peter said nothing as he could only stare at the TV as he listened closely to the News report. "It appears that the head of Oscorp, Harry Osborn," The News anchor man reported, "has returned after a nearly a year. Reports state that Harry has been out of the public eye after all this time due to finical problems that the company has been suffering since the late Otto Octavius' disastrous fusion reactor experiment which Oscorp did most of the financing for it and plunge the company, and Mr. Osborn, into the red. It is believed by many sources though that Osborn has managed to pay off the crippling debts the company had before and is ready to take the company forward once more."

As the couple continued to watch the report in growing disbelief at Harry Osborn's sudden return, the Anchor man carried on speaking. "In other news, there has been a sudden increase of criminal activity in the city since the start of this week with reports of the criminals using large and dangerous weapons and now members of the public have now started to doubt if even Spider-Man and his partner Black Cat can really be counted on to protect the city."

"The hell?" Felicia muttered as she stood up while still listening to the news article with the report cutting to various interviews on screen with members of the public expressing their disdain for Spider-Man. "After all we do for them this is how they thank us?"

"Just like Jameson and the Bugle," Peter noted as he felt rather uncomfortable in his stomach thanks to this report.

The short haired platinum blonde rubbed her chin in thought. "Yeah that's true, would've thought they'd at least be more appreciated over us trying at least. You can see now why back a few years ago why I only played hero whenever I wanted."

Peter thought of it as he and Felicia paid close attention to the news report, there was admittedly some truth in this. There had been a notable increase in crime lately, Peter wasn't sure why this was the case, but with the hefty amount of criminals that had appeared in the city suddenly, it had felt like the whole city had suddenly turned to crime. He could speculate over what was going on, but in the moment, it was time for work, well, his _superhero_ work that is since he was now living the hero life now.

"Sorry, Felicia, time to go," Peter said as he pulled his mask over and headed over to the veranda. Just then he felt Felicia's hand on his shoulder stopping him.

"Ah-ah not so fast," she said. "Are you forgetting a little something before you go off?"

Behind his mask, Peter rolled his eyes and pulled his mask up half way. "Alright then," he replied jokingly and gave her an affectionate kiss. "You are lazy for not coming out this morning, you know that?"

The woman laughed. "Only for two reasons, baby. One, I have this mark on my face and two, a cat doesn't like to get out in the morning."

"You're forgetting one thing though," Peter remarked. "You always say that you only like to be hero whenever you want to be."

"Oh yeah, that too," Felicia admitted as she nuzzled up with Peter. "But you know, _someone_ has to look after our home, right?"

"Point taken," Peter replied as he embraced her before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead and heading over towards the veranda. "Just remember to be out by tonight. It can be a lonely job while on your own."

"That is if I decide to take a long shower," Felicia joked, in which Peter laughed at her response.

"Don't get any sudden ideas, Felicia," Peter answer back with a grin. "See you later, Cat."

"Have a great day at work honey," Felicia smiled and with that said, Peter fired a web line at a taller building and swung away to begin yet another day.

Just as he left though, Felicia's attention was drawn back to the TV and she gasped in shock at what she saw yet another article regarding the criminal activity, only this time it was more serious than what she thought. Suddenly her good mood had gone and was left wondering what could be done with the situation now seemly getting worse and with no indication of just _why_ this was happening. The platinum blonde placed her hands on her hips and considered about the situation and the dangers, she was to make a bold choice without Peter's advice...

**XXX**

Just before noon, Spider-Man had just managed to stop a mugging that was taking place, but rather than get any sort of thanks from the citizens who had witnessed him stopping them, they instead gave him a lukewarm reception saying such words as "Get going, there's more out there" or even the classic phrase "Get a job!" (In which Peter would reply saying, "If you only knew!") He swung away feeling quite dejected at their response, it was almost like the citizens had fallen out of love with the city's hero. Though Peter had a clear hunch that these reports of the rise of criminal activity might have done the damage to Spider-Man's reputation, if there had been one to start with, he had to carry on and only try his best to keep the city safe. Speaking of reputation, it was during this time that he had to make a brief visit to the Daily Bugle to hand in more photos of...himself, again.

As he was swinging across the city and saw the building of the Bugle in the distance, Peter felt a strange sense of irony that despite going down the path of the hero with Felicia and pretty much becoming Spider-Man full time, he _somehow_ still had a real job with the Bugle, even if Jameson was still short changing him after all this time. Nonetheless despite the negative attitude the Bugle, or more so Jameson, had for Spider-Man, Peter had grown rather fond of the place thanks to some of the people in there which gave it quite an unique atmosphere.

He landed on top of the building and headed over to the large ventilation shaft that led into the building, interestingly Peter had used this shaft many times before and oddly enough, no one had noticed him entering it. The shaft led into the men's bathroom and fortunately for Peter, the bathroom was empty and gave him the chance to change into civilian gear without being noticed. Just as he had gotten himself changed, he went over towards a mirror on the wall and from a gap behind it; he pulled out his latest round of Spider-Man photographs. This had been were he'd been keeping his photos in hiding in case, like now, he was needing to give to Jameson in order to keep his job and try not to get fired... _again_.

He eventually made his way up towards the office and several familiar faces greeted him, most notably Betty Brant. "Hi Peter!" She greeted him happily as she was just finishing off a phone call.

"Hi Betty, is Jonah needing me?" Peter replied.

"Just right now funnily enough," Betty answered. "You better get in there, he's a bit, well, more happier than normal."

Peter stared at her. "Happy? For what?"

"PARKER!" Jonah's voice boomed from his office as Peter could see Jonah through the window, with his feet up on the desk, and motioning him to come in.

Peter didn't need asking twice and hurried in before sitting opposite him. "Hey sir, you needing me for something?"

Oddly to Peter, Jonah didn't look angry like he normally did, and just like what Betty had said to Peter, he looked more happier. "Of course," Jonah replied in his typical blustering tone. "Those photos, Parker. Why'd you think I need you here for?" He motioned his hand at the younger man to hand over his batch of pictures to Jonah as he looked through them. "Crap, fine, ugh, fine, crap, mega crap, good...three hundred bucks for this lot."

Peter's eyes widened at just how much Jonah was willing to pay for them. Normally he'd only get one hundred and fifty dollars or less for any set of photos he would send in, why was Jameson being so generous for once? "Sir, is something going on that I'm missing out on?"

"You're always missing out on everything," Jonah bemoaned. "Haven't you heard the news regarding my son? Well, him and his wife I should say."

"Um sorry no," Peter admitted, the thought of Mary Jane being married to someone was something he couldn't quite believe.

The vociferous editor-in-chief of the Bugle groaned, but still had that strange smile on his face. "God damn Parker, you work for a newspaper company and you still can't keep with things?! Well, my son has been on the Moon and has discovered a strange black substance out there and will bring it back to Earth to study it."

"You mean like aliens?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"I don't know," Jonah replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "But forget about ancient aliens and all that, the best news is that his wife is expecting...I'm gonna be a granddad!"

Peter was stunned in that moment, it had been three years since the wedding of James Jameson and Mary Jane Watson, he felt bad about forgetting his childhood friend after all this time, but deep down, he felt happy knowing that Mary Jane was still going strong in her relationship. "Oh...oh, wow! Um, congratulations sir, that's great news."

"Indeed it is son," Jonah laughed as he rubbed his hands together. "My son made a great choice in marrying that Jane Mary."

"Mary Jane."

"Huh?"

"Her name is _Mary Jane **Jameson**_."

Peter had to bite his tongue to hold his laughter at M.J's full name and the nickname she now had being M.J.J...he wondered if she never heard the end of that fact?

Meanwhile, The older man laughed to try and hide his embarrassing name mix up. "Of course! I was just checking to see if you remember that's all. Anyway, the other good bit of news is that the Bugle has a new big sponsor that will help expand out off New York and go nationwide, Hoffman!"

"Yes?" Suddenly came a voice from behind Peter, this was, not surprisingly, Hoffman. Both Peter and Jonah were startled at Hoffman's sudden appearances like that. It was always a mystery with Peter that whenever Jameson called Hoffman for anything, the aforesaid man was _always_ there when Jameson needed him. "You called, sir?"

"Isn't our new sponsor suppose to be here today?" Jonah asked Hoffman as he lit a cigar.

"He's just got in," Hoffman replied. "Want me to get him for you?"

"Well of course," Jonah growled. "I didn't hire you stand around my office, get out!"

Hoffman quickly left the room as Jonah turned his attention back on Peter. "Who is this new guy?" Peter asked.

Jonah clasped on hand on head in frustration with him looking more like a frustrated football coach over a hopeless player. "God damn, did you watch the news this morning?"

"I was leaving my place quite early to get here," Peter replied looking uncomfortable. He wasn't lying about that to be fair leaving at the time he did.

"Oh well," Jonah sighed. "Suppose you'll meet him first hand right now." He paused as he looked over a row of congratulations cards nearby the window. "But yes...it's a happy day me and the Bugle, can't wait until the day Jane Mary gives birth—"

" _Mary_ **Jane**!"

Just as Jonah was about to respond, Hoffman came back. "Sir, he's here."

"Excellent," Jonah said with joy. "Parker, I'd like you to meet our new sponsor."

Peter turned round to look, but when he saw whom it was, he, and the person in question, both gasped.

"No...Harry?"


	3. Alone In The Dark

**Chapter 3**

**Alone In The Dark**

The silence in Jameson's office was almost unprecedented in that moment. Peter and his old friend, Harry Osborn, were seeing each other face to face for the first time in three years. Jonah, who was completely oblivious to Peter and Harry's past relationship and how long they'd not seen each other, seemed both clueless and frustrated at the long silence in the room.

"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Jonah demanded, which thankfully managed to get the attention of the two young men back to him.

"Um, sorry, Mr. Jameson," Peter stuttered. "Just that...I know him." He felt his stomach twisting; he didn't want to look back at Harry. That watershed night when Harry unmasked him still haunted his mind.

While Peter was having inner turmoil, Jonah eyed Harry after hearing Peter's reply. "Really, how come does he know you?"

"...Old school friends," Harry replied, though his voice did seem somewhat threatening, his gaze fixed on Peter.

"Ah," Jonah nodded. "Well...no need for any formalities and greetings for you two. Anyway Osborn, tell Parker the news about Oscorp backing the Bugle."

Harry's mood suddenly lightened after hearing Jonah speak, though his eyes were still locked on Peter. "Of course Mr. Jameson. Peter, from this day on, Oscorp will be one of the biggest, if the not the biggest, sponsor the Bugle would have ever seen."

For Peter, this was strange, even for Harry. After returning from a long exodus from New York (and maybe the country as Peter guessed), why would Harry suddenly go from a company that was trying to make new scientific inventions to suddenly being a sponsor for a newspaper company that wanted to smear Spider-Man's name...? Then it hit Peter like a ton of bricks why Harry would be supporting the Bugle. If Harry and Jonah had anything in common other than being the head of a business, it would be their mutual hatred they had for Spider-Man. While Jonah hated Spider-Man for thinking that he was a criminal ever since the Web Slinger appeared in the city many years ago, Harry hated Spider-Man on a personal level, and one that Peter sadly knew that relationship would never be truly healed, even if he had come clean about what happened to Norman.

"That's...good to hear," Peter said reluctantly, he didn't dare want to lay eyes on Harry as he found the situation too awkward.

"You're damn right it'll be good!" Jonah butted in. "A miracle really, the Bugle wasn't doing too well lately, so it's nothing short of a godsend that Osborn has agreed to step in and help us out.

"Y-yeah, that's great," Peter replied, he really didn't want to be there in that moment, he had to get out of there _now_. "Um, sir...sorry, I need to go now, just remembered a little something I have to do back home." He quickly began heading to the door. "I'll promise I'll get more photos of Spider-Man when I get back."

"Very well then, on your way, Parker" Jonah replied rather strangely cheerfully.

" _Damn, he really is a good mood today if he's letting me out that easy!"_ Peter thought in amazement that Jonah was being casual with Peter (escaping) leaving his office. As he left, he didn't dare lock eyes with Harry. In that one moment, he had lost his backbone over the return of his old friend.

Harry didn't say anything as Peter rushed past him, that only made the freelance photographer more nervous around his former friend as he had no idea what might happen next. As he quickly left Jonah's office and the surrounding members of staff such as Betty and Robbie asking him what was going on while ignoring them, he was really wanting to get out of the building asap. As he headed over to the men's bathroom from when he entered the building in the first place, he didn't know if he was being followed in that moment, only person he did past was the resident janitor moping the floor and who seemed completely oblivious to what Peter was going through in that moment.

After rounding some other corners, Peter finally found the bathroom and hurried over to the door and finally—

"Peter!"

That voice made the abovementioned man stop dead in his tracks right in front of the door. Tensely turning his head around, there behind him was the last person he wanted to see. Harry Osborn had his arms crossed and his dark expression only made Peter shiver.

"Hello again Peter," Harry said with a mixture of calm and menace in his voice. "Still working here?"

"Harry..." Peter replied, his throat feeling dry. "It's been too long...far too long."

"You are right about that," Harry interrupted. "It has been far too long...but no matter what has changed in our lives in these few years...you still killed my father."

Peter glanced round making sure that no one was listening and even getting the wrong idea of where the conversation was heading. "Harry...your father told me not to tell you the truth of what happened, and I've had to respect his word for all these years. I'm sorry couldn't tell you what happened."

Harry stared at him, his face growing more furious as he walked right up to Peter's face. "Peter...my father is gone, thanks to _you_...why would you do **that**? He loved you like a son, more than he ever could for **_me_**!"

Peter was silent, he was torn on telling Harry what had happened that night or break Norman's promise. "...I wish could tell you," Peter sighed.

The bitter Osborn's eyes literally had fire burning within them, it also felt that at any moment that Harry would suddenly strike Peter down and beat him to death in that corridor. "...I _hate_ you," Harry whispered forebodingly. "I don't care what you had going on with my father, this will all end Pete, just between you and me...and then...my father will finally be avenged..."

With those words, Harry slowly stepped back from Peter, turned around and headed down the corridor leaving a shaken Peter behind, who could only ponder at what his now former best friend had in mind for Peter. As the brunette haired man entered the men's bathroom to begin his secret escape from the building, his thoughts went back on that mystery and dangerous character on that hover glider that had attacked both him and Felicia that night and had a horrible thought of just who this character's identity was.

"...No," Peter could only mutter in shocked disbelieve.

**XXX**

With the city now basking in the evening glow, Spider-Man swung over the city heading towards home. His sudden encounter with Harry back at the Bugle was still fresh on his mind and right now, all he could do was keep his head down and hope that he would now rarely, if ever, met him again.

"Oh Harry, why did it had to lead to this?" Peter asked himself sadly.

Just as he was swung around a corner, his Spider-Sense suddenly went off. Peter looked round to see what was going on, then from out of the blue, he felt something or someone crash into him, making him lose his grip on his web line and was now in freefall. He spun his body round not fire another web line at a nearby building and also see who had collided into him. His eyes widened as he could see the figure clearly now, it was that mysterious figure on the glider he and Felicia had encountered though now he could see more of who this person was. The guy was dressed in green and black armour that looked like a mix of military and extreme sports gear, but what made Peter gasped was the mask that the guy had on...a familiar and certain looking mask that Peter would never think he'd see again.

"...No," Peter uttered in shock as he landed on the side of a building sticking to it and looking back on...

"You knew this was coming Pete," said the Goblin, a voice which Peter only knew who it was.

"Harry?!" Peter exclaimed. "Why are doing this?!"

Harry didn't reply and the glider launched forward with its weapons firing at the masked vigilante. Spider-Man dodged the attacks, but the firing was simply relentless that no matter how well his Spider-Sense was helping him, he would eventually get caught out. Peter quickly fled, but this time, Harry wasn't going to let him go this time. The glider ran into Spider-Man and caused him to go flying against the side of a building, he quickly got away before the guns could get a clear shot at him. Peter could feel the pain he'd received from that smash against the building as he tried this time to go in for the attack on Harry.

He launched himself off the building side and landed on the glider beside Harry as it started to fly away from their current location. Within a few mad seconds, Spider-Man and New Goblin (As Peter had decided to call him) were fighting and blocking attacks on the glider as the machine flew uncontrollable over the city, the city goers down below being completely oblivious to the drama unfolding above them.

To Peter's amazement, Harry was putting up not only a good fight on the glider, but was actually laying several blows on him despite Peter's Spider-Sense ringing like mad in his head helping him avoid the attacks, ironically, the contestant ringing he was hearing was greatly distracting him more than helping him. Then, with Harry almost seemly reading Peter's mind, a set of blades popped up on his wrist and he sank the blades into Spider-Man's arm. The masked hero screamed in pain as the blades dug into his arm, this gave Harry his chance to finish him off as he punched Spider-Man squarely into his face and all over his body severely beating up the damaged superhero before sending him flying off the glider and tumbling through the air towards an alleyway below.

Mercifully, he fell into a large pile of garbage that managed to cushion his fall, but Peter was still in great pain. Harry had lost trace of Peter as he fell into that darkened alleyway and lowered the glider as he tried to catch site of him.

Peter felt totally beaten up and lay there in a heap, for the first time as he could remember, he felt totally out of his depth and helpless...and it was even worse for him personally that the person who had defeated him so easily was his one time best friend. Just then, the sound of the glider lowering down made the defeated hero crane his neck up weakly seeing Harry lowering himself down to find and finish him off for good.

With a sudden sense of urgency, Peter found just enough strength to move over to nearby pile of large trash bags and use them for cover to try and not get spotted by Harry. Peter just managed to get out of site as he lay there in the darkness as Harry hovered a few feet up from the ground as he scanned the damp and darkened alleyway for his fallen opponent.

For what felt like an eternity, Peter didn't even dare to breath, let alone move from his spot as Harry scanned the alleyway like a predator animal looking for prey. Then, with a disappointed sigh, the glider rose up and headed into the New York skyline.

As soon as the New Goblin left, Peter let out a fatigued groan and fell backwards on his back feeling totally deflated and unable to think or do anything to get up from his current location. He didn't really care how things were as his eyelids slowly closed as sleep quickly overcame him.

Somewhere out in New York in a darkened alleyway, a fallen superhero lay defeated, beaten and alone with no help...Alone in the dark. Little did the hero knew that his most dangerous and personal battle was only about to begin...


	4. No Victory

**Chapter 4**

**No Victory**

Somewhere on the other side of the city and completely oblivious to what had happened with Peter and Harry, a certain platinum blonde woman was prowling on a rooftop and spying on a rather shady deal going on in a backstreet. Although she and Spider-Man always went out together to fight crime, some even saying they were inseparable, there were times when either would go out on a solo mission, and tonight was one of these nights for Black Cat.

The attractive woman was keeping a close eye on proceedings and had promised Peter never to attempt to blow her cover again, just like that attack like she had done that certain night at the warehouse when she and Spider-Man had found out those thugs with the powerful Mech suits. She had followed in her boyfriend's method of using the old element of surprise, but any thoughts of what she was planning to do next was pushed to one side as she looked on down at some crates that the thugs were carrying towards the back of the grey van.

She was tempted to sneak down and open a crate and find out what was inside them, but she had to hold the urge back and simply keep observing the scene from above, oddly, they were all wearing what seemed to be matching black outfits that Felicia was sure she had seen from somewhere...

Just then, one of the criminals stopped what he was doing and looked up towards Felicia's direction, in which she quickly hid out of sight to try and avoid detection, however the random goon was already suspicious.

"Hey guys," The goon called out of the others. "I think someone's spying on us."

He pointed upwards for the others to look up from where he saw Black Cat from before, the aforementioned woman however had managed to sneak away and climb down a drainpipe to reach the ground level.

"Shut up," said one of the criminals who had just opened one of the crates. "Get back to work, we gotta get out of here before the cops show up."

"Hey boss," said one of the guys who was heaving over one of the crates with a fellow criminal. "What's in this? You sure this is weapons we have here? 'Cause they weigh a ton!"

"...Alright fine," The boss thug groaned. "Suppose we'll have to make sure these aren't a set up for us...hate to find out after all this we were just a pawn in this." He grabbed a crowbar from the van and walked over to the two who had just rested the crate on the ground.

Unknown to any of the motley gang of thugs as they began to open the crate, Black Cat was going all out stealth to was about to attempt to take them all out. She snuck up on one goon who, while watching the others open the crate, was a bit far from rest of the group near the van and then with one swift and silent attack, she knocked him out and quickly dragged him away leaving the rest completely obliviously to what had happened to their comrade. One by one, she repeated the same process on three other thugs and by that point the other remaining six had began to notice the missing muggers.

"Sam? Dave? Jack?" Called out one of the leader as he frantically looked round trying to catch site of the missing guys. "For God's sake don't pulling that shit on us now, we gotta get outta here!"

"I think I might be able to tell you where they are...if you hand over those goods!" Came a sultry female voice from above. The remaining muggers looked up and saw standing proudly on the roof of the van was the certain leather-clad vixen smirking at them.

"It's the cat!" Cried the leader as he accidently dropped the crowbar in shock as and the others soon realized who it was, but unfortunately for them, it was too late. Black Cat quickly leapt down from the van and landed on top the now defenseless leader, knocking him out, before quickly turning her attention on the unprepared mob.

"What's wrong?" Cat joked at the stunned mob. "Never seen a girl in leather kicking ass or has the cat got your tongue?" Then with the skill of a gymnast, she did an impressive forward flip and grabbed the goon round his neck with her legs before continuing with the flip and sending the thug crashing on his back.

"God damn!" Cried one of the frightened thugs as he tried to make an escape. "I'm not ending up like-UGH!" Black Cat had caught him and sent him crashing against the brick wall, knocking him out on impact.

Her ambush had completely caught the thugs all off guard and the hapless mob were quickly taken of care by her, it did show though that in that time with being Spider-Man's partner, she had gone from a simple cat burglar to a well skilled vigilantly in which the criminal underworld of New York feared.

It was just before she finally took down the last of the thugs that the thug in question pressed a small button on his wrist that faintly flashed a white light before Black Cat finished him off with a few swift punches to the face. She briefly glanced at the glow, but thought nothing of it as her thoughts went back to taken on the rest of the unruly pack.

After a minute of fighting, the motley group of thugs had all been defeated and Black Cat had now tied them up beside the van, awaiting their fate to be picked up by the police.

"You know," she jokingly spoke to the out cold criminals. "One bit of advice is that if you're going to attempt to fight me or Spider-Man...always have a weapon to use, just don't lose like that chum over there." She looked over at the leader who groaned in pain as his head hung low and she walked over towards him to smirk at him. "And please...get a career change, I don't like going out to fight, I'd would rather just like to stay in on a Friday night just cuddling up with...alright I'll shut up. Damn me and my big mouth..."

It was only then that she noticed the crate nearby that had been opened from earlier and she, with her typical curious nature, walked over to the wooden crate and peered into the opened box. It was there when she noticed two large thick rifle looking weapons that looked very advanced and she immediately recognized them as the same type that she and Spider-Man had found the other night. To top it all off, the words 'Oscorp Industries' were embodied into the guns that immediately made her realize their place of origin.

She took a step back, placed her hands on her hips, sighed and looked up at the night sky pondering over where on earth were these criminals getting these sort of weapons from Oscorp, something didn't feel right, never mind Harry Osborn's timely arrival back in New York. To her, it felt like if this was all being planned for something big.

Then she heard the sound of sirens coming her way, she didn't know if they were police cars or something else altogether, but whatever they were, she wasn't wanting to stay around to know and without further ado, she fired a grappling hook upwards before fleeing the scene and into the New York evening. Little did she know about what had happened to her love elsewhere in the city and a certain encounter that was soon to follow...

**XXX**

The female vigilantly was swinging over the city and heading on he way for home, though her thoughts will still on those weapons. Was someone at Oscorp giving out these military hardware like candy or was, as crazy as it might've sounded, Harry had turned into a criminal and terrorist mastermind who was willing the bring New York to it's knees?

In that moment however, she was able to forget out her thoughts and glanced round a familiar set of buildings that made Black Cat smile in remembrance. It was here in which she and Spider-Man had one of their first chases together, things seemed so simple back then...

Just then, she swore that she could hear the sound of a jet engine getting louder by the second. She looked up while swinging, thinking at first that it was a jet fighter passing overhead or worse, a falling airplane. She could see nothing and frantically looked round wondering where the ever-growing sound of an engine was coming from.

Then it happened.

She cried out in pain as she felt the full force of something crashing in from behind her and sending her hurling down onto a flat, gravel rooftop. Sadly unlike any cat, she didn't land on her feet and instead landed on her back, it was only then when she could finally see what had ran into her. Despite having hit the ground with such force, she sat up in shock when she saw a familiar figure on a certain glider...

"...You!" Black Cat cried.

"Found you on your own," Goblin sneered. "Then again, cats like going out at night on their own—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Black Cat fired one of her grabbling hooks at the glider and quite amazingly, managed to pierce a hole through one of the wings. Goblin began firing down at the platinum blond as the glider roared down towards her. Black Cat however was managing to avoid the shots as she still had a grip on the glider; it was a wonder to anyone that despite hitting the ground like that, she was still willing to fight. Her luck ran out though as the glider reached down to her level and in a brief moment, Goblin managed to simply scoop her up in his arms and carry her off, with sparks flying from the damaged glider.

"Get your hands off me!" Black Cat snapped as she managed to wriggle out of his grasp and stand on the unaffected wing and yet _somehow_ managed to hold on to the glider.

"Oh, I like a spunky girl!" Goblin laughed. "I can see why Spider-Man has you tagging along with him!"

"I can be full of surprises," Black Cat answered back as she starting to fight Goblin. With the green menace's attention on fending off Black Cat, the glider was now flying erratically to the point that both it's occupants could've flown off it or that the glider could crash into a nearby building.

For a whole minute, Black Cat was showing that she was more than just eye candy and unlike Spider-Man, she was actually _defeating_ the Goblin by laying a good few elegant yet pummelling strikes to him. It seemed that the Goblin had completely underestimated her and was now paying the consequences for such actions.

The Glider was seen crashing down onto a rooftop, sending Goblin flying off the machine while Black Cat landed nearby graceful. Just as Goblin had managed to get back on his feet, Black Cat carried on fighting him. Finally, the masked man was on his knees and the leather vixen stood over him with an angry yet proud look.

"Down and out," Black Cat muttered. "Save any talk you might have, I finally got you in the end."

The Goblin however just laughed as managed to get back on his feet again. "That's what you think...did you ever spare a thought about Spider-Man...?"

Black Cat was silent, then her green eyes narrowed and a sense of shock and anger gripped her as she began to figure out where her partner had gone. "...What have you _done_ with him?"

"Don't worry," Goblin answered back as he went over to the glider, which still seemed all right for flying. "He's not dead...yet. Right now he is in an alleyway somewhere near the Bugle lying unconscious. I've left him for you to collect, I could've killed him but hey...would've been better if the two of you were together, _dead_ that is"

A raging fire was pretty much burning in her eyes as she was trying her best to hold back the urge to pretty much murder the villain on the spot. "You bastard," she hissed as his hands tightened.

"You've got a choice little cat," Goblin then explained as he stood on the glider as it began to hover (with it wobbling slight due to the damage it suffered). "You can either find your bug boyfriend or you can try and stop me...the choice is yours...heroine." With that said, the Glider roared off into the night and left Black Cat standing there totally speechless.

"Oh _God,_ Peter!" She whispered to herself as she placed her hands over her mouth. "Please don't be what I fear he has done to you!"

There was no choice; she had to rescue her love from an uncertain fate. Within a few seconds she was swinging over the city and racing towards the Bugle to find Peter. She only knew then in that moment that this battle with Goblin was going to be more personal to her than that with Doc Ock or any other villain she and Spider-Man had faced, all that matter though right now was to find Peter.


	5. The Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter 5**

**The Calm Before The Storm**

Swinging overhead, Black Cat was hurrying as fast as she could as she headed over towards the Daily Bugle where, according to the Goblin, Peter was lying defeated in some alleyway nearby. There was no point in chasing and eventually fighting the Goblin, she didn't care about where he was heading or if he even attempted to cause havoc in some other part of the city, all she cared about was finding her lover.

Soon after, the site of the Bugle came into view and Black Cat swung over towards a nearby alleyway with, a little bit of luck, hoped to find Peter. However, her luck wasn't going too well as she couldn't see Peter. She then headed over towards another alleyway, but once again, no luck. It was ironic in some sense that her second identity was called Black Cat as it was an animal which was known for bad luck.

She repeated the process again and again down various alleyways nearby the Bugle, but now she was starting to feel more anxious by the moment. A few nightmare scenarios entered her mind, what if the Goblin had badly beaten up Peter so badly that he was almost unrecognisable as a person or that he was so mentally disturbed that he wouldn't know who she was? Felicia remembered the stories that Peter would tell her that the Goblin was none other than the late Norman Osborn and that the Green Goblin attacked his aunt May and Mary Jane, truly a very personal encounter for Peter and right now, Felicia was beginning to feel the same way over her current dilemma in finding him.

The beautiful woman had just swung round into another alley and felt yet more disappointment that she couldn't find Peter. It was only then when she was turning to leave when she noticed a figure lying next to a pile of junk, at first she thought it was one of the city's hobos, but something about this figure looked familiar to her and with her curiosity getting the better of her, she headed down to the ground level to get a closer look.

Black Cat landed (this time on her feet with easeful grace like a cat) and headed over to the scabby looking figure. As she walked closer to the man, she gasped in shock when she soon recognised the man lying injured, bleeding and, in Felicia's mindset, on the verge of death.

"Peter!" She cried as she quickly rushed to his size and kneeling down beside him and holding the brunette close to her. "Oh God! Please Peter, don't die on me!"

Her fallen lover's eyes flickered opened as he heard her voice; it was like a beacon through a thick fog that was bringing him back to the land of the living. He adjusted his eyes to try and see who was calling his name and his eyes slowly widened as he saw a certain woman in black leather.

"...Felicia?" Peter uttered weakly, nonetheless just hearing him again brought a wave of relive for the platinum blonde.

"Oh thank God you're ok!" She replied as she pulled him close and kissed him passionately.

"H...How did you find me?" Peter asked as he began to come back to his senses again after this kiss.

Felicia bit her bottom lip as she didn't know what to say about what had happened before with her encounter with Goblin, but she and Peter had always been honest to each other and she decided not to hide anything. "It was the Goblin...I met, well, ran into him."

"He found you?!" Peter gasped. "How did he know where you were?"

"No idea," Felicia sighed. "One minute I uncover more of those goons with those fancy weapons, remember them?"

Peter nodded.

"Then after I rounded them up," Felicia continued, "it all happened. The Goblin showed up, I managed to fend him off, then he told me about you and...and..."

The beautiful woman then looked like she was on the verge of tears and Peter this time embraced her tightly. It was very rare to see the often witty and fearless former cat burglar to be in this state, but seeing like this was a motivation for Peter to comfort his woman.

For a minute, neither said anything in that dark and damp alleyway and they only held each other tightly with Peter rubbing Felicia's back gently as he tried to sooth her fears, with Peter, Felicia didn't have to the cocky woman as she was always and instead was a chance for her just be herself. Peter then rested his forehead with her's and looked into her eyes. "It's ok, Felicia...I'm fine, but we got to get going."

Peter was soon helped back onto his feet again, thankfully he didn't seem, other than a few scars, looked as bad as Felicia feared. It was then when the woman remembered something with those weapons. "Oh yeah forgot to mention something else with those weapons I found."

"What about them?"

"Well remember we thought those weapons were too fancy for the likes of those criminals, they're from Oscorp of all places!"

Peter was silenced as he heard the news, then felt his blood get cold when thought about the Goblin and who was behind the mask...

"...I have news too...about Goblin, I know who he is...he's..." Peter looked unnerved about what ever he was trying to say.

"You know who he is?" Felicia asked in curiosity and seeing Peter's uncomfortable look. "Who is it then?"

He was silent and gave Felicia a mournful stare. "...It's Harry..."

"... _What_?" Felicia asked in confusion thinking if what she had head was true.

"Harry...Harry Osborn."

"What are you talking about? You mean _that_ Harry?"

At first, Peter gave no reply...then, after a long period of silence, a nod was all Peter could reply with.

"Oh God," Felicia gasped placing a hand over her mouth. "It makes sense though about how the Goblin turned up when Harry came back to New York—"

"But what about the weapons?" Peter interrupted. "You don't think that...no way...he _wouldn't_."

A horrible thought entered both their minds. Was Harry the one giving the city's criminal underworld those dangerous weapons like toys? Did he know of the terrible consequences that those weapons could bring to the city? Felicia placed her hands on her hips and looked up at the starry sky and thought about the new set of revelations that had just happened.

"Why would Harry be doing this for?" Felicia pondered. "As far as you would always tell me, he didn't seem to be the guy that would suddenly be an all knowing crime boss."

"He still despises me over what happened to his Dad," Peter sighed. "I hope he hasn't lost his mind now like Norman..."

Felicia then looked back at Peter. "If there is anything I've learnt, it is that always look out for the quiet ones, Harry seems to fit that position well."

The web slinger was about to answer back until he felt a sharp pain in his back as he placed a hand on where the pain was coming from. "Come on, Peter," Felicia ordered. "Let's get going as if we stay out here any longer we'll be sitting ducks."

Shortly afterwards, Peter held onto Felicia as she swung across the city heading back to their home. It was only then that thanks to what they had found out, more questions than answers had been raised, but for now, all that mattered was to get back to safety.

**XXX**

Over at the Osborn mansion, Harry was seated beside the fireplace and looking up at the new portrait painting of his late father while drinking a half glass full of whisky. In that moment, he felt a sense of mixed emotions gripping him, all them not surprisingly being about Peter Parker. True he had defeated Peter in some fine style and had left him for dead in that alleyway, but something different feel right. He had later on meet up with Black Cat who in contrast to Peter, had managed to defeat him, completely underestimated the attractive woman's strength.

"Shit," Harry hissed as he gulped down the whiskey. He just remembered he had told her that Peter was in an alleyway and the woman had given up on her fight with Harry and instead decided to find Peter. What made Harry feel like kicking himself was the thought that she would've found him by now, alive. If he were still alive, even just barely, Peter would probably have the chance to expose Harry to the city and this whole story would be over without even a throwing a single punch.

"Why didn't I finish him off?" Harry muttered crossly with himself.

"You are still only just learning," said a voice suddenly that made Harry leap out of his chair and scan the room.

He was certain all the house servants had left by now, but yet the voice seemed familiar to him. "Son...we meet again."

Harry looked towards the mirror, and in the mirror was his late father. "Dad?"

"So you've accepted your fate," Norman replied, a small smile appeared on his lips. "I'm proud of you, Harry."

"But Dad," Harry interrupted, not caring if he was hallucination or having an encounter with the supernatural. "I've failed..."

"How?"

"I didn't finish Peter...I just left him there—"

"No," Norman replied shaking his head. "You're still learning...you left a year ago away from the city to get away from it all, am I right?"

His son nodded. "I didn't not what to do, I found that lair behind the mirror and...I didn't know what to do."

"You then left to train up," Norman added. "Now you are back in the city, but despite some doubts you still feel, fear not, you're taking the steps in the right direction. With you now being the man he feared you wish you wouldn't become, it will make him weak to face you once more."

The young Osborn stood there trying to register what his father had said as he looked down towards the floorboards. "I...yes, you're right Dad, but...what would make it worse for him?"

A cruel laugh was heard from Norman. "You really _are_ learning, I'm proud of you my son. To make it worse for him, you attack him where he is most defenceless...his heart, we attack his heart."

"What?" Harry asked as he jerked his head up to face his father again. "What'd you mean by—?" But all he could see in the mirror was his own refection.

Once more, silence had fallen over the mansion and Harry was left there trying to figure out what had happened. Wherever or not he had just experienced a supernatural encounter with his Dad or he was losing his mind, he didn't care, his father was right in saying that he still had a job to do.

Not long later, he headed over the mirror and opened it and revealing the Goblin lair inside. He ventured inside and admiring all around him, it was still a shock to him when he had found this lair and had come to turns with his Dad being the Green Goblin. Even though he wanted to uphold his father's name and killing Peter Parker, there was a voice in his mind saying to him not to do it due to the fact that Norman, as the Goblin, had killed people and that he shouldn't be doing this to himself.

Harry though shook his head at the thought; he had a duty to do for his father and wasn't going to let any hesitation stop him from completing his goal. Then he turned to look at the large glass chamber that he had used many years ago to gain the Goblin strength thanks to the serum. But despite the fact he had used it, those doubts were stopping him from become something truly special in his late father's eyes.

He then only noticed that there were three full serum tubes that were still unused and suddenly, the young man gained an idea...one that could eliminate his uncertainties that plagued him.

"It would a shame to leave them to waist," Harry said to himself, and then a grin appeared. "Let's crank it up a little bit more..."

From that moment, it was to be a fateful moment for Harry Osborn as he walked over to the chamber.

**XXX**

Meanwhile over on the other side of the city, Peter was lying in bed with Felicia tending to his wounds. Although she might have been a skilled ex-cat burglar and now crime fighter, she was pretty hopeless in trying to make Peter comfortable as she wrapped a bandage round his arm which had a large wound on it.

"Ow! That hurts!" Peter winced. "You could be more gentle."

"Like you'd want me to gentle in bed?" Felicia remarked sarcastically.

"Don't get funny now Felicia," Peter replied with a serious look on his face. "I'm still nervous about what happened back there...I don't know what to—"

"Shhh," Felicia hushed as she placed a finger on Peter's lips. "Don't worry baby, whatever happens, I'm always here for you. Whatever happens, we'll find a way to stop him like we always do with others."

"That's true," Peter said as he lay back on the bed. "But this is different...my best friend we're up against."

Felicia could feel the conflicting feelings in Peter just by looking at his troubled face. "Peter, he tried to kill you...the man you once knew is long gone, he is a danger to the city and never mind this whole gun smuggling thing he is probably doing right now. If we leave him now God knows what he'll do next."

Peter sighed and nodded. "...You're right, Felicia. We have to stop him, but it's going to hard for me to do this." He then closed his eyes and thought about his Uncle Ben. _"Oh Uncle Ben,"_ he thought sadly, _"What the hell am I suppose to do?"_

The night would end on an uncertain note for the both of them, but this only just to become the calm before the storm.


	6. Goblin Reborn

**Chapter 6**

**Goblin Reborn**

There was a sense of irony in hindsight for Peter. When he decided to abandon the idea of a relationship with Mary Jane Watson and go for one with Felicia Hardy, he had also done this to live out his hero life more often than that of his civilian life. At first it seemed to go rather well as with spending a life with Felicia as the only two friends he had, Mary Jane and Harry Osborn, had both drifted out of his life with the latter being the more heart-breaking for the web vigilante. The only one that Peter still have was that of his dear Aunt May, who was oblivious to Peter's secret life and the irony was that noticeable for Peter, he had started to become more civilian and less hero as time went on.

Nonetheless, despite living the hero life, he was wise not to forget his precious aunt in any shape or form. Today would be one of these days he would be visiting aunt May along with Felicia, although the visit had a duel purpose for laying low for a while after his encounter with Harry and, more importantly, an announcement for May he had kept secret from his girlfriend.

Though May's apartment was quite a fair distance from their penthouse, the couple had just arrived at the apartment and was now waiting for May to answer the door. Peter looked over to Felicia and could see her expression was a mix of cautious optimism and worry, he wasn't surprised by this as he could remember when Felicia first met May, it hadn't exactly gotten off on the right foot. His dear aunt had always hoped that Peter would end up with Mary Jane, as she was an innocent yet determined woman, never mind her being the classic 'girl-next-door', Felicia was anything but.

Aunt May was at first shocked by Felicia's way of doing things and how blundering overconfident she was, Peter didn't even dare bring up the fact that she was a former cat burglar, never mind the fact that they were New York's two vigilantes. May had to wonder just how Peter had ended up with a girl like Felicia, things had admittedly not started off in the best possible way.

Nonetheless as time went on both women eventually warmed up to each other, though Felicia was the more cautions one whenever she was with Peter's aunt. After waiting briefly, the door opened and May's expression turned to delight as she quickly recognized the couple and instantly embraced them.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you two again!" May greeted them happily.

"Yeah," Peter replied equally as happy. "It's always great to see you."

"Come on in!" May said as she motioned them into her apartment. "Don't want you stay out there, please come in."

As they entered May's rather cosy apartment, Peter noticed that the TV was playing, in which his aunt had been watching a game show and then looked over to seeing May express fond words for Felicia asking her many questions such as how was her day to the likes of what she and Peter had been doing of late. In that moment, any fears that Felicia felt that May might still have against Felicia were quickly dissipated.

Peter couldn't help but smile as he watched them interact; however Peter had to interrupt the scene as he leaned in close to whisper to his aunt. "Um, Aunt May, may I speak to you about something...in private."

May gave her nephew a puzzled look at what he was planning before looking back at Felicia. "Please Felicia, make yourself at home, just need to pop round the kitchen for a moment with Peter."

"Oh, um...no problem," Felicia replied as she cast Peter a look of suspicion before sitting down on the couch and started watching the TV.

With her distracted, both May and Peter headed round to the kitchen, which was quite a fair bit away from Felicia and thus wouldn't be able to hear them. "It feels like ages since we last met," Aunt May expressed with some sadness.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Peter sighed. "Just that things have rather...hectic of late." The brunette felt a sense of irony; the term 'hectic' was probably one of the understatements of the year regarding Harry.

Then, almost as if she could read could read his mind, May then asked, "Have you met up with Harry again?"

Peter wasn't expecting her to ask this. "Um, yeah...I met him at the Bugle, he's now sponsoring them..." He didn't dare breath a word to her about him following in his father's footsteps.

"Sponsoring them?" May inquired. "Why would he be doing that?"

"It's about Spider-Man," Peter replied. "He...he hates him."

"...What?" May asked while looking stunned at why he'd do this. "Harry hates Spider-Man? But he's a hero!"

For a brief moment, Peter smiled a little bit at the fact that in his dear aunt was a fan for Spider-Man, though he quickly frowned as he couldn't tell her the truth of why Harry had this grudge on New York's hero, Peter was only thankful that May was completely oblivious about the turn of events that had led to Norman Osborn's death, let only her knowing about her nephew's secret identity.

"I don't know," Peter lied sadly. "He's changed a lot since he came back to New York." Once again, it was yet another understatement. For a while both were silent, with only the sound the TV in the other room along with the sound of Felicia laughing at something that was being shown. It was then Peter remembered why he had asked his aunt to talk with him in private.

"Aunt May," Peter began as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You'll be wondering why we're through here for...the reason is that I wanted you to be the first to know something I've gotten planned with Felicia."

May's eyes widened as several scenarios played in her head. Peter then grinned happily at her, "I'm going to ask Felicia to marry me."

"Oh Peter!" May gasped happily as she pulled him in for a loving embrace. "I was beginning to think it would never happen!"

"Well, yeah," Peter chuckled. "Felicia kind of only use to the settling down part just recently. You know what she's like"

"Ah I see," May laughed as she headed over get some mugs near the kettle to and collect some tea bags (the kettle had only just been boiled). "Marriage is always a big step up for any relationship, I can remember the day your Uncle Ben asked me to marry him, he was so scarred, excited and very young...and I loved him fiercely."

"Then you said 'yes', right?" Peter asked hopefully.

"No..."

"Huh?"

"I wasn't ready, neither was he," she paused as she started pouring out the hot water into two mugs before she carried on speaking while still making the tea. "So we took our time with it all, I didn't want to run into something with nothing to count on but love. A man has to be understanding and put his wife before himself."

Then she handed Peter over a full mug. "Can you do that for Felicia, Peter? Always be there for her no matter what?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah, I think I can. In fact we're always together as a matter of fact. Been that for nearly a year now, I mean, we're not rushing things, right?"

May smiled. "If you think the time is right, then you have my blessing. I hope you have a proper proposal planned."

"Yeah...never really thought about that," Peter muttered as he took a sip from the mug. "I'll have to think of something original for her."

How was a superhero suppose to propose? Why was that never brought up as it might be useful for Peter.

"She is deep down a nice girl," May noted. "I know I'll admit that I didn't think she was, you know, the right stuff for you."

Peter knew exactly that his aunt was a clear reference to a certain redhead. "She is different, but that old saying 'opposites attract' is what best describes us. Maybe we need that someone different in our lives that can set us on the right track." He drank more of his tea as he looked back in hindsight that it was Felicia that had helped him during a difficult period of his life, without her and her advice, he didn't know where he'd be at In fact, being so different had changed the both them with him being more confident in his hero life while Felicia had learnt to not only be a hero herself and stop thieving but also be more careful for various missions.

"Yes, you're quite right," May admitted to Peter's words. "I guess even an old girl like me can still learn something new." Aunt May then sighed as she reflected on her own life with Uncle Ben. "Oh this makes me think about your dear uncle, we'd be married fifty years come August...if..." She looked like she was about to cry over it but Peter quickly rushed in and held his aunt close.

"Don't worry Aunt May," Peter whispered to her gently, "I'll make it very special for Felicia."

It was a tender moment, a rare moment for Peter in his current life. As much as he had been planning on proposing to Felicia for quite a while now and had hope that this time would've been perfect for him, it was the return of the Green Goblin, and an old friend that put a hold on those plans.

He didn't know if Felicia would actually decide to truly settle down with him and put their crime fighting adventures to one side. All that matter right now, was to stop Goblin.

**XXX**

The crackling fireplace was the only sound to be heard as Harry sat on the couch, thinking. He had lost track of time with how long he had been sitting there for, but frankly he didn't care. On the mantelpiece above the fireplace, the Green Goblin helmet was mounted up there and although it didn't have it's golden eyes in, Harry couldn't help but think that it had a life of its own and that it was staring back at him.

Then a voice came..."Harry..."

"Who's here?!" Harry shouted as he practically jumped off the couch, grabbed an iron poker near the fireplace and looked round wondering where the voice came from. "I'm warning you, I'm armed!"

"AVENGE ME!"

Harry spun round and faced towards the mirror and there before him, was his father. "Son, do what I ask!" Norman ordered, his dark expression making Harry stumble back and fall on his backside in fear, never mind that he was seeing his own _father_.

"No! I'm not going to be you!" Harry retorted as he found some confidence.

"Foolish son of mine," Norman snorted in disgust. "You've already set yourself up to be like your own father, have you already forgotten that by drinking yourself like a hapless soul? You never even finished Spider-Man off."

Harry said nothing, his father _was_ right, he _had_ become like his father and, rather painfully obvious, he _had_ become a binge drinker due to him trying to forget about it and fight his inner demons. He looked away shamefully. "I'm not like you—"

"You are."

"No..."

"Please son, do what's right for me...avenge me..."

"...No."

"AVENGE ME!"

"NO!" Harry screamed at the reflection, only to see that he was staring at his own reflection and not of his father. Silence fell upon the mansion and Harry sat there with his head in his hands, looking like a lost and confused child.

"You must complete your task, Harry," Norman's voice rang in his head, the young Osborn didn't know if this was something of the supernatural, or if he was really turning into his father.

He then turned to look back at the mask on top of the fireplace staring back at him. Harry then realized that he did have to complete the task in avenging his father and that sitting there and brooding over Spider-Man would shame Norman. Next time, he wasn't going to let his demon lie for dead, he was going to truly kill him. He didn't now how he was going to murder Spider-Man, no, Peter Parker, but one thing was for certain, the Green Goblin legacy in that moment was truly reborn.


	7. Bank Raid

**Chapter 7**

**Bank Raid**

The calm atmosphere that afternoon in New York, or at least one as any New Yorker might call it, was suddenly shattered with large-scale bank heist being undertaking. What was most fearful for the innocent civilians was that these criminals weren't simply the usual stereotype criminals that many would think of first, these criminals were not only well organized but were armed with some truly fearsome weapons that even the police force could do very little to stop them. No prizes as to guessing whom these senseless folks were and where the weapons had come from.

It was of great relief when the citizens looked upwards and saw New York's two crime fighters swinging overhead and making a dive towards the under siege bank. However, even the two heroes were stunned by the overwhelming number of criminals raiding the bank, clearly this was without question to Spider-Man and Black Cat the most well organized raid, even so their professional nature in all this was startling.

What was more amazing to the spandex clad hero was that the bank they had arrived at was the very same bank in which Doc Ock had attacked and briefly taking Aunt May hostage. Surely this couldn't be coincidence, right? With the memories coming back, he had to quickly shake them away and concentrate on the criminals currently raiding the place, though he couldn't help but think in the back of his mind if the reason why the criminals were raiding this certain bank was coincidence, or something else in mind...

"Don't let any escape!" Spider-Man called out to Black Cat as they landed near of group of looters and began battling them. "We have to find out why they're doing this for!"

"But there's so many of them!" Black Cat replied as she fended off one such thug and made him hot the ground. "How are we going to stop them all?"

Despite the vixen's major doubts, Spider-Man felt the situation was in their grasp, despite how overwhelming things we're stack against them. "Just do as I say! The more we can take down then the cops will be able to bring in more reinforcements to help us."

"They better be damn quick then," Black Cat retorted as she looked over seeing a mob of about ten guys heading inside the bank with those dangerous weapons and firing at the large vault. "...They better be _damn_ quick indeed..."

Just then Black Cat was caught out of her thoughts when he heard of the gangsters barked out orders. "It's the webhead and the crazy cat bitch, get 'em!"

With seemly a quarter of the mob there, they all turned their attacks on the vigilantes. Once more Spider-Man and Black Cat were fighting back-to-back trying to fend of the criminals. "God damn these cops better be here soon," Black Cat muttered to herself as she prayed to hear the sound of police sirens heading their way, an irony considering her original cat burglar lifestyle.

Not surprisingly with their impressive fighting skills, they were putting on a great show in fending of the thugs. It only took a short while for them to defeat the criminal mob before the two heroes turned their attention at the criminals that were heading inside the building and towards the vault.

As they headed inside, they were greeted with the sight of chaos. To say the whole bank had been turned upside down was saying it too lightly. Never mind that the alarm was blaring out, most of the criminals were trying to break down the vault while some were covering their backs by firing at the security guards, but most frightening of all, some criminals had members of the public held at gunpoint.

Spider-Man looked over to Black Cat. "Forget the vault, get the hostages out to safety."

Black Cat nodded and replied jokingly to herself, "Pity I'm not getting a peak what's inside the vault though..."

In a matter of seconds, the pair pounced on the captives while they _somehow_ managed for the hostages not to get injured. At this point, Spider-Man had just managed to take down one such thug, knocking him out with a single punch to the face, before he gazed towards the vault, the criminals had surprisingly managed to cause a lot of damage to the vault. The large steel door look so badly beaten that it could've fallen off its hinges at any moment.

He had been focusing on the door for a bit too long when he only noticed Black Cat lunge over and try to attack those guys singlehandedly. "God damn it!" Spider-Man cursed as he saw Black cat once again fighting recklessly. He was rather fortunately that the two of them had taken out the criminals who were holding the hostages previously (the hostages had ran out of the building to safety since then), Spider-Man had little choice but to assist his partner in battle.

As he joined in the battle, he fought back to back with Black Cat fending off the thugs attack them from what felt like left, right and centre. "How many times have I said not to break out rank like that?!" Spider-Man shouted at Black Cat.

The beautiful former cat burglar wittedly replied as she took down a charging goon saying, "I only wanted to have a peak in the vault, darling."

Before Spider-Man could even respond, he had knocked out a criminal holding one of the powerful weapons when the sweet sound of police sirens could be heard. "Thank God," he could only say.

But strangely to both heroes, the remaining motley criminals still standing round the bank didn't break into a hasty retreat, but rather what seemed like they were regrouping near the entrance. Then the two of them could see the familiar NYPD police cars and vans appearing just outside through the entrance, however, it wasn't quite the end of it...

To their horror, it wasn't police cops running out of their vehicles, but more criminals armed with those weapons!

"Oh _shit_!" Black Cat gasped as she and Spider-Man could only stand near the entrance of the vault as mobs of similar dressed thugs rushed into the bank surrounding the heroes, both on the ground level and into some of the upper levels, and aimed their weapons at them, one of the criminals even firing their gun up at the blaring alarm and silencing it.

For a whole minute, no one spoke though it felt like it was silent in there for a whole hour. "Got any more bright ideas?" Black Cat whispered to her partner, though before he could reply, the wall above the entrance to the bank was engulfed in a huge explosion that caused both Black Cat and Spider-Man to cover their faces in protection.

Rubble and thick dust filled the air and Spider-Man was waiting for his Spider-Sense to starting ringing in his head in case the criminals decided to fire at them while the place was covered in a fog. Then came another sound, a low humming sound...

Spider-Man craned his head up seeing a set of lights hovering above the mob of thugs. When the dust finally started to become clearer, both vigilantes were shocked as they could see a certain green clad figure on a hover glider above them, no prizes as to guessing who it was...

"I always wanted to try out a great entrance," Goblin cackled down at them.

"No disrespect...or maybe," Black Cat remarked, "I've seen better entrances than that, if any really..."

Spider-Man glared up at him. "This ends now! Stop your attack on this building right now!"

"Oh I would," Goblin replied. "Just one little problem...these guys, and me" he paused pointed at the overwhelming armed mob below him. "Me and them, well, how do I put bluntly? Oh yes! We'd both would like to kill you first before leaving this bank."

"Kill us then attempt petty theft?" Black Cat questioned sarcastically as she crossed her arms. "Wow, that's _so_ original...I think you deserve a medal for that zany scheme, and that's saying a lot for all the costumed characters we've faced."

Several members of the mob even looked up at the Goblin with questionable or amused looks. Spider-Man had to even smile under his mask at Black Cat's witty retorts in the face of danger and the fact that she did have a valid point. However he was trying to figure out how to escape. Goblin had made a very hole on the front wall that was big enough to escape through and had an idea. He whispered quickly to Black cat his plan and she instantly held on to him.

"Sorry Gobby," Spider-Man replied. "But I gotta go." Without warning and with Black Cat holding tightly on him, he fired a web line towards the hole in the wall and zipped along over the stunned crowd.

"Fire!" Goblin yelled at his troops, in which the guys in question opened firing and fleeing pair. Thanks to his Spider-Sense, he was able to dodge the laser shots, though it was really too close for comfort with how many shots were firing at them.

The Goblin growled at his platoon of criminals of how they had missed his two advisories before taking chase after them. Just as Spider-Man managed to burst out into the open, Black Cat let go of him and quickly she fired her grappling hook at a nearby building and followed alongside her partner, with the Goblin right on their tail.

Unlike last time in which they were on the run from the madman on the glider, the two of them swung round facing him head, ready to face him off. People in the street below could only watch in amazement while some ran for their lives. As Black Cat and Spider-Man swung in for the attack, the glider began firing a round of bullets at the pair, though this time the couple weren't going to go out with a fight this time. Both heroes landed on the glider as it rose further up into the sky with the Goblin trying to fight them both off.

However, even with him facing off two, Goblin was putting up a strong yet dangerous effort. Clearly it seemed that he had learnt a lot from his unexpected defeat to Black Cat. The glider had just reached the top of a flattop building when the fighting really began.

The glider began firing on the pair almost catching them off guard as the Goblin cackled like there was no tomorrow. To Spider-Man, it felt like the glider was actually doing all the work and the Goblin was only acting as a spectator to the scene. Thanks to his Spider-Sense, the spandex clad hero was able to dodge most gunfire at him as he performed several impressive leaps towards the Goblin.

During all this time it seemed that the Goblin's attention was suddenly quickly focusing on Black Cat. With his attention off Spider-Man, the masked hero gave him an almighty forward kick, knocking him clean off the glider. Spider-Man heard a yell of pain coming from Black Cat, as he looked back at her, his blood went cold in a matter of seconds. The leather clad heroine fell with part of her outfit ripped, no doubt caused by the gunfire that had been shot at her.

Spider-Man wasted little time to race over to her and see if, by a miracle, she was still alive. "Felicia!" He cried, not caring that he had blown their cover, not that it didn't matter that Goblin seemed to know that already.

He knelt down beside her and held her in his arms and both to his amazement and relief; she was still alive, only barely. The gunshots had grazed past most of her body and only some had hit her in her arm and upper part of her leg. "Felicia, are you badly hurt?"

The short haired platinum blonde woman groaned. "J-Just a scratch...nothing more."

"Never mind that," Spider-Man replied as he lifted her up bridal style. "We gotta get out of here, I don't want it to get worse for you!"

Before Felicia could reply, a certain frightening cackle could be heard. Spider-Man turned round and saw that Goblin had managed to get back on his glider again, but what was scarier was that the guns on the glider were aimed at the pair and looked like they were ready to fire.

Not wasting a second, Spider-Man while still holding the injured Black Cat close to him, fired a web line at a nearby building and quickly swung away. However, with him holding her by one arm he was only able to use his other arm for the swinging, and the only thing he could pray for was the Goblin would let them go free on the retreat.

How much was he mistaken for thinking that.

The vile looking demon character took chase after them and thanks to Spider-Man not being able to pick up speed while swinging, the Goblin caught up with them pretty quickly and fired many shots in succession at the fleeing heroes.

A few shots managed not only to rip the web line Spider-Man was currently holding, but a few on his arm...the one holding the now destroyed web line. How his own Spider-Sense did not respond in that brief moment was a mystery, however that wasn't the problem, not only was the pain in his arm torturous, but also now he and Black Cat fell from the air and landed on a metal ventilation machine on a rooftop.

They landed with such force that both were truly knocked out, if Black Cat wasn't in such a state as she was in right now, she truly was out for the count. In contrast, the Goblin laughed in triumph as he had finally managed to defeat them both singlehandedly. As the glider lowered down to see up close the defeated pair, the Goblin suddenly heard a voice in his head.

" _Why here?"_ Said the voice, a very familiar voice too.

"Huh?" The Goblin asked startled as he stopped the glider and glanced round wondering who was speaking.

" _Harry_ ," the voice replied, now he knew _who_ was speaking.

"...Dad?" Harry replied, in that moment he was no longer the crazed green clothed menace, but just the old Harry Osborn.

" _Who were you expecting?"_ Norman asked with a hint of sarcasm. _"Why'd you want to finish him off here?"_

This statement confused Harry. "What? But here's defeated and with him down, I can finally avenge you—"

" _No, if you avenge someone, you have to do it on a truly grand scale...good old fashion karma...kill him where I died."_

"...You mean that? But where did he kill you?"

" _You know that old crumbling hospital near the Queensboro Bridge that's still standing? Do it there and only_ then _will you fully avenge me."_

Harry was silent as he pondered on the idea, he had never really thought about where Spider-Man had killed his father, yet now that he now knew where the murder had taken place, but also killing Spider-Man in the same place after all these years seemed just too good to resist.

"Yes...yes, that's perfect!" Harry nodded. "I'll do this for you...I'll finish this."

" _I know you will...my son."_

Harry then looked down at the defeated couple and a wicked smile appeared behind his mask. "At long last...that part I've been waiting for so long...is finally here!"


	8. We Meet Again

**Chapter 8**

**We Meet Again**

Everything was in darkness, he didn't know where he was at or what had happened and had seemly forgotten what had happened beforehand.

" _Wake up little Spider,"_ echoed a voice in his mind, a voice that sounded very familiar. _"You're not dead...yet."_

Slowly his senses started to return, first feeling that his mask was still in place and the blackness was soon turning into light...very faint light no less. His eyes slowly opened and before he could see where he was, he felt his arms tied up above his head, tied up by chains in crude knots no less. Then he looked around him to see it was night-time and that he was in a ruined building with vines sticking to the walls of the brick face walls.

"Wait, this looks familiar," Peter muttered, but his thoughts were halted when he looked over beside him to see that Black Cat also tied up in a similar fashion to him, however she was still unconscious.

"Felicia!" Peter cried out, but a voice interrupted him.

"About time you woke up, Parker. I was beginning to think I had killed you too soon." Peter looked over to see Harry walking out from the darkness, wearing the Goblin armour minus the helmet in which he was carrying by his side.

Behind the mask, Peter glared at his now former best friend. "What'd you do with her, Harry?"

"Oh, she'll be alright," Harry replied nonchalantly. "If she could fight me off on her own, I'm sure she'll be fine after falling from the air like that. Quite a girl you have there."

Of course, unlike Peter, she didn't have any super powers. Peter however was more surprised about where they were. "What is the place, Harry?"

"You mean you forgotten already?" Harry replied with a slight chuckle. "This is the place where you murdered my father."

Then it all came back to Peter as memories of that infamous night came back, the night in which Norman tried to kill Peter with his glider but had ended up doing himself in. Another thing Peter was curious about was just _how_ Harry had found out where Norman's death had taken place, but right now, that wasn't really what was important to Peter.

"Harry...I've said it before, I did _not_ kill—"

"Liar!" Harry roared and punched Peter right into his stomach with such force that it felt like he had been hit with an iron bar, such was strength in which Harry had not gotten from the serum. Harry then whipped off Peter's mask and despite his Spider-Sense going off, Peter couldn't do anything with him being tied up as Harry gave Peter an almighty punch to the face that Peter felt could've broken a few of his own teeth.

Harry then sighed and shook his head. "I've grown tired of this, Peter. There is no point lying to me...like you have done for all these years!"

In that moment before however, Felicia groaned quietly as her eyes flickered opened as she adjusted to her surroundings. Then she saw over to her right Peter, unmasked, being brutally beaten up by Harry...the new goblin, the very thought of Harry as the new Goblin, even if she knew about it, she still found it crazy that it was him of all people, then again there was Peter Parker as Spider-Man.

"Peter!" Felicia cried, causing Harry to stop talking and make both men look over to the now awaken platinum blonde woman.

"See?" Harry joked to Peter. "Told you she'd be alright soon enough. Not often you get to see a strong woman surviving through such shit and still get up on their feet again, I must say I'm quite jealous of you to be frank, just like how my Dad loved you like his own son, more than me."

Felicia groaned at Harry's words. Peter had mentioned many times that right after Norman's death, the son of the former Green Goblin would always bring up the subject of his father as if even mentioning his late Dad would earn a ton of cash, not that it was much of a bother to Harry to begin with.

The now unmasked Spider-Man started coughing up blood and Harry instead watched him suffer from his current wounds. Peter then, quite literally, coughed up a reply "What...what is going on...with the amount of criminal ac...activity in the city?"

The young Osborne male grinned. "Ah, glad you asked that question, Peter. Was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten."

"Just cut to the chase," Felicia hissed as she looked up seeing that she was chained up. "We know about those weapons that come from Oscorp."

"Well then," Harry laughed. "You seem to have made a little start to you're little investigation. But yes, I handed out those weapons to them, personally I might add without the rest of the company knowing about it."

Both Peter and Felicia looked over at their captor with surprised looks, though they did suspect that Harry had something to do with it, the fact that Harry though had simply admitted it so bluntly was a shock to them. "Never mind that," Peter retorted back, "why are you doing this for? All these criminals that you give out those weapons, why Harry?"

Harry smirked at Peter. "Two reasons really. Firstly, Have you ever wonder why many of these so called criminals that you beat up go out and start out a life of crime?"

"To have a bit of fun in life?" Felicia remarked in which Peter frowned at her as he remembered her past. "Oh yes I know...It really is a great feeling, great sense of freedom and all that. But after meeting with Spider here, I did find out that, as cliché and shitty as it might sound, that crime doesn't pay...at least it didn't for my old home bills."

Harry though gave her a disappointed stare. "Wrong darling, they all have nothing, absolutely _nothing_. They feel like they have no purpose in life and feel let down by the system, so as my late father would say, sometimes you've got to do things yourself. So I paid them to help me out while at the same time giving something back."

"What's this got to do with us though?" Peter demanded angrily.

"I was just coming to that," Harry replied. "Or course the main reason why I hired them to do all those god knows how many unlawful activities around the city was pretty much to act as a reason for you to show up after all."

Both Peter and Felicia were stunned after what Harry told them and there was only silence to be heard in that crumbling building they were in with only Felicia breaking the silence. "Wait a minute, you're telling us that you sent out all those criminals loose all around the city...just so you could get our _attention_?!"

"Correct for once," Harry replied. "I'll admit I didn't really like the idea of crime and all that, but how was I supposed to get your attention to meet up with you guys?"

"Oh I don't know," Felicia replied sarcastically, "Perhaps what other normal person does like, you know, phone them up? Give them an email?"

"You have a point," Peter added with a small smile on his lips. He always admired that of his girlfriend that no matter how dire their situation might've been in, Felicia always could fit in a witty pun here and there.

However this brief moment was soon shattered when Harry growled and punched Felicia so hard in the face that Peter had to avert his eyes and could only hear the sound or cracking and Felicia yelling in pain. When Peter did look at his lover again, her nose was bleeding and looked almost like she had been knocked out from the blow to the face.

"You bastard Harry!" Peter screamed. "Don't you dare lay another finger on her again!"

"I won't," Harry laughed as he headed over towards his glider (which was hovering in a corner nearby). "Then again, I might let her live just so I can have my way with her...the Osborn family is needing an heir after all..."

Peter was sicken by this thought and he saw Harry collecting a large green spear before heading back towards the tied up pair.

Peter gasped as he soon realized that he not only recognized the lance, but quickly got an idea of what Harry was planning on doing. "God Harry don't you dare!"

"Why does it matter to you?" Harry replied darkly. "You took my father away from me, only fair that I take someone close to you for myself." He looked over at Felicia who looked like she was struggling to stay awake due to the almighty punch she'd received from Harry. It was then Harry began to rub his free hand over her leather clad body which was filling Peter with rage. "After all, I think it is a good idea to show you how I have suffered for these past few years now thanks to you."

Still holding the lance in one hand, Harry began to leave a trail of kisses down her neck in which the leather clad heroine was slowly coming to her senses and tried to squirm away from Harry's disgusting actions. However during that moment, Peter had found his strength again and began to attempt to free himself from his chained bonds.

Then just as Harry found himself lost in the moment of kiss Felicia all over to the point now in which he tried to get his tongue down her throat, his actions were halted when he heard the sound of chains snapping and turned to look at Peter who had managed to free himself from his superhuman strength and began battling Harry. Even though his hands were still tied up, Peter was using the snapped chain as a whip against Harry and thanks to his sudden break out, Peter was getting the upper hand on the madman. With one clout from the chain from Peter, the chain whacked Harry with such force that he went flying backwards and crashed onto his glider, though ending up like his father.

With Harry temporary out of action, Peter used his strength to few his hands still tied to the chain before rushing over to collect his mask that was lying on the ground (Harry had involuntary during the fight dropped the mask) and hurried over to Felicia.

"Hey, you ok?" Peter asked gently to her as he placed his hand on her cheek.

The woman's eyes flickered opened and she came face to face with Peter. "P-Peter?"

The brunette was relief that she was she alive. "Thank God, Felicia. We got to get out of here." He began breaking away her chained bonds.

"That creep tried to have his way with me," Felicia snarled and then noticed Harry lying over his glider looking like he was knocked out. "What happened to him?"

"Umm, managed to stop him from having his way with you?" Peter replied in a half jokey matter as he managed to break Felicia free.

Felicia though smiled. "I see, just the same old story of a crazy bastard then?" Once Felicia had her hands free, she gave Peter a quick peck on the lips. "Let's go."

Peter pulled his mask over his head once more and the two heroes were racing towards a large hole in the wall that would lead them to their way out of the crumbling building. The now masked Spider-Man looked up through the upper reaches of the building and could see the Queensboro Bridge looming on in the distance, sending a wave of bad memories to Peter from that infamous night.

He had just raised his arm in preparation to fire a line of web when suddenly Felicia pulled his arm down, gasped and stopped dead in their tracks. "Felicia? What the... _hell_...?

Peter ending his phrase on a mutter as he and his girlfriend could see down below them was all of the criminals that Harry had control over, but up around the various vantage spots on the other parts of the building, hooligans with snipers were aimed at them.

They were trapped.

Harry's laughter then filled the air as the two heroes spun round facing Harry, who was now trying to stand up right with blood on his face. "Did you think I would be doing this all on my own now? I came prepared as you can see...it all ends here Parker!"

Spider-Man and Black Cat glanced back and forth and the new Goblin and his countless henchmen before they looked back at each other, with Black Cat having a vacant expression on her face. "Well Spider, you got a plan B?"


	9. Next To A Battle Lost...

**Chapter 9**

**Next To A Battle Lost...**

All around them, Spider-Man and Black Cat could see the overwhelming numbers of Harry's henchman all aiming their weapons at them from what seemed like every advantage point they could fine. The two of them looked back at Harry who grinned at them as if he'd already won this battle.

"Well then," Harry spoke. "What's it going to be then?"

Spider-Man then looked up towards the snipers in the upper parts of the building and his gaze went up towards the rooftops in which for some reason than other than the top floor windows, the rooftop was defenceless.

"Come on," Spider-Man whispered.

Black Cat gave him a questionable stare. "'Come on?' What are—?"

"Just follow my lead," Spider-Man replied as he wrapped his arm around her waist and looked back at Goblin. "As to answering your question...just escaping."

With that said, he fired a web shot at the upper part of the building and yanked himself and Black Cat away from where they were and into the exposed area in the line of awaiting snipers. Many of the hoodlums who had their weapons aimed at the superhero couple were surprised to see the two actually risk it by showing themselves exposed to all, until they heard the call of the Goblin cry out across the derelict area and ordering to open fire.

"Shoot at them! Don't let them escape!"

With those words, Goblin's troops opened fire at the escaping pair. Peter's Spider-Sense was ringing in his mind like there was no tomorrow as the gun firing intensified. As they finally made it towards the top of the building, they were surprised to see the whole rooftop to be completely unguarded.

The two heroes looked at each other with surprise of what was an gaping hole in preventing them to escape, they didn't really think about why this was such an obvious flaw for Harry, but they decided to risk it and escape from the shooting.

They had just cleared over the roof when suddenly, The Goblin on his glider came flying in right in nearby. However what caught Spider-Man's eye was seeing that Harry held an activated pumpkin bomb.

"Shit!" Spider-Man cried as he frantically made a sharp turn in trying to escape from Harry, but already the madman through the air towards the fleeing pair. The bomb exploded, illuminating the area in an orange glow and causing the already crumbling rooftop to collapse down a few floors. Worse, the blast caught Spider-Man and caused him to lose his grip on Black Cat and send the two of them crashing down among the collapsing rooftop.

Harry let out a chilling cackle that, to Peter, sounded almost like that of his late father. "How does it feel little spider? Being literally _squashed_ like a bug?"

By a miracle though, the crashing rooftop stopped at the forth floor down by what must have been an exceptionally strong floor. More amazingly, Black Cat had managed to grab on to the edge of a section of the rooftop that hadn't crumbled. She climbed up and looked down on the large hole in the ground that was filled with black smoke and she could only hope that just maybe...

As the dust cleared and the rubble came into view, her heart stopped dead. There trapped among the debris was Spider-Man, lying motionless.

'PETER!" She cried out in horror and the Goblin turned his gaze towards the leather-clad woman, he had been completely oblivious about what had happened to her.

"Oh, God Damn not you _again_!" Harry snarled. "Well it seems like he's—"

"Shut up..."

Excuse—"

"SHUT UP!" Black Cat's eyes were filled with tears, bitter and angry tears they were and the dark expression she gave Harry could've vaporized someone had she'd been able too. "This ends _now_...this **all** ends, tonight!" Her claws were now unleashed and she was ready to avenge her love.

"Oh yes your quite right," Harry smirked as the Glider opened it's cannons on her. "It all ends right here." The guns started firing at her and although she might've not had superhuman abilities, she was certainly no push over.

She ran up towards Harry and used her grappling hook to attach herself to the glider; a shower of sparks erupting from the glider as the hook made its impact. Quickly, she activated it to pull her forward and avoid the gunfire coming in from what seemed like all angles. As soon as she mounted on alongside Harry, the two began a brutal fistfight and the glider began flying crazily due to Harry trying to fend off Black Cat.

She was taking a heavy beating from Harry due to his strength but with her filled with pent rage and emotion for what had happened to her love, she didn't feel any pain and continue to strike the Goblin as if each punch was going to bring Peter Parker back to life.

The glider flew down towards the side of the side of the building and thanks to Harry not concentrating about where he was going, the glider crashed into the side of the building causing Goblin and Black Cat to the thrown forward the other side of the open and rubble filled room.

The crash had caused both of their costumes to be ripped in more ways that one. Black Cat's costume had been ripped in several places exposing her skin and her body was covered in grime and blood. Her mask had also been ruined so much that Felecia yanked off her ruined mask and threw it away as she glared over at Goblin as he staggered back on his feet again. Much like with Black Cat, his own outfit had been ruined with exposed holes being clearly seen around his chest area but half of his mask had been destroyed and showed half of his face.

He looked back at his glider, now completely wrecked from the impact and no longer able to fly before staring back at his opponent. "You wrecked my glider...that was my Dad's you know, you little BITCH!" Suddenly he lunged forward, thanks to his abilities, in such an unnatural like way that it caused Black Cat to look on in a stunned daze.

"Shut up you little rich Daddy's boy," Felicia growled, but before she knew it, Harry landed on top of her and began beating her senseless. She headbutted him back and quickly began to fight back. During this time in the middle of the wreckage, Spider-Man slowly awoke and the pain gripped him like a strong vice grip. Despite the pain he was in, he pushed off the fallen structures that was trapping him. His mask and the rest of his costume had been ripped and some horrid wounds could be seen as he struggled back to his feet.

"Felicia?" Peter asked himself as he heard shouting and fighting taken place from somewhere nearby, then he heard the sounds of footsteps marching up from downstairs and he knew immediately who they were. "Not letting you all get away this time," he added as confidence filled him and seemed to masked his pain as he dashed off to take on Goblin's foot soldiers and hope that Felicia could just hang on a little longer...

**XXX**

Nearby, despite putting up a great fight, Black cat was starting to lose in her fight against Harry. The platinum blonde woman was forcefully pushed heavily back against a wall and the Goblin began striking her blow after blow to the point that every attack she received might've killed her. One such strike from Harry sent the woman crashing to the floor, coughing up blood and lying in a broken state.

Clearly she was all but defeated.

For a small moment, Harry just stood over Felicia as she tried to get back on her feet again, though was clearly struggling. Then Harry kicked Black Cat in the stomach causing her to fall on her back, her face clearly read that she couldn't take it anymore.

Harry ginned menacingly and a set of knifes unsheathed themselves from his wrist guards. "Seems that all your nine lives have finally failed you, still, I'll give you credit that you did put up a good fight the first time we met and I thought you would like to be by my side. But seeing as you don't..."

He struck down on with the gleaming knifes and Black Cat bared herself for the deathblow. It never came.

She looked up and was amazed at what she saw. On the arm that Harry had his knifes on show, his arm was being held back by a line of web that was stopping him from attacking her.

"P-Peter?" Black Cat asked in amazement, she never thought that she would see him standing in one piece, Harry looked back in equal shock at his adversary.

"YOU?!" Harry roared.

"Miss me?" Spider-Man replied in a witty manner before yanking Harry over towards and began to fight him back. "Sorry, had to take care of Goblin's goons."

"Watch out for his spikes!" Felicia cried out as she tried to get back on her feet again.

Peter saw the spikes on the Goblin's wrist and in turn was using them to try and strike him down, though thankfully Peter's Spider-Sense was helping him to avoid them as Goblin went on for the attack on Peter.

"Harry stop this please!" Peter pleaded at his former best friend as Harry refused to listen and kept attacking him.

"Why should I?" Harry snapped. "After what you did with my father, you think someone would forgive you?"

"For God sake's Harry, I didn't kill—"

"LIAR!"

This time Harry caught Peter briefly off guard and punched him across the room and sent him slamming against a concrete wall.

"Don't you touch him!" Felicia screamed and jumped on Goblin's back and sent him to the ground. Even though she was in pain, just the sight of seeing her love getting attack seemed to set her off to attack Harry.

"Stupid bitch!" Harry growled as he tried to fend her off. "Why can't you just be a good little girl and die? I've got already one freak to take care off!"

"The only freak here is _you_!" Black Cat retorted as grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and slammed him onto a metal pillar nearby. She never let him go this time and began punching him in the face like if every punch was going to wipe all evil from Harry and the face of the Earth.

Nearby, Spider-Man slowly got back on his feet again and saw Black Cat battling Goblin like there was no tomorrow, it went to show why perhaps Felicia Hardy was the right woman Peter needed in his life. Then he heard the sound of sirens from below, indicating that the cops had by now gotten word of something going on in the area.

"Not even they will be enough," Peter muttered to himself as he glanced over towards where the sound was coming from.

Just then Harry started pushing himself off the pillar and began to attack again, much to Felicia's amazement who had hoped that she would have gotten Harry to finally give in. Spider-Man quickly joined in the battle to assist his partner.

As the battle went on, Peter was still determined to tell Harry the truth, regardless of how much his former best friend kept denying it.

"For God's sake Harry," Peter exclaimed as he dodged an attack from Harry. 'I didn't kill your father, just listen to me!"

"What difference would it make?!" Harry snapped as relentlessly tried to beat down Peter and Felicia. "You killed him! His blood is on your hands and you know it!"

It was just then when Felicia noticed in a brief second that she swore that Harry's eyes had turned an unnatural looking shade of green. It caught her off guard at seeing this bizarre sight before her and this was to be her downfall as Harry kicked Felicia across the room (with such immense strength) and caused her to crash though a crumbling pillar.

"HARRY!" Peter roared as he began to fight Harry back. "This doesn't have to be like this! Just listen to me for once!"

As he said that, Peter only just noticed his former best friend's eyes turning green and to make the situation more disturbing, Harry let rip a vile cackle that sounded eerily familiar...

"No..." Peter gasped as he heard the laugh, it sounded just like that of the first Goblin...

Just then as Harry staggered backwards, he groaned loudly and clutched his head as if he was in pain and fell on his knees. Peter glanced over towards Felicia with a clearly questionable look as if he the expression itself was asking her what was going on.

In his mind, Harry could hear a voice. _"Finish him!"_

Harry winced again. "I...I can't...!"

" _You disappoint me,"_ Norman's voice echoed. _"After all the things you kept saying about avenging me and it comes down to this? What a joke you are, you are NOT my son anymore!"_

"NO!" Harry leapt forward and started to attack Peter again, but unlike before in which he was fighting Peter with a motive, this time Harry was attacking Peter in a blind fit of rage that made him dangerous, yet open to attack.

Peter, unaware Harry was going through mentally, brought Harry down to the floor after a battle that seemed to be over in a flash. Finally, the raving green clad Harry Osborn had been defeated.

For what felt like a minute, there was only just silence, other than Felicia groaning getting herself back on her feet again and the sound of the police arriving down below (that had pretty much forgotten about the cops arriving.)

The two men in the room looked at each other with different expressions. One had a look of bitter resentment and the other of great sympathy.

"Harry," Peter said softly. "Why did it have to be like this? Don't you remember we were best friends who always stood up for each other when we needed support when others wouldn't give us it?"

"Why even bother trying to reason with me?" Harry replied angrily. "I do remember the old days before all the crazy shit in the world happened to us, what I'd give to live out those days again..."

"Norman Osborn was the Goblin—"

"You killed him, why'd you do that? He loved you like a son...more than me at times."

Regardless of what Harry might've thought, Peter felt terrible for him. Even after what had happened and of Harry now following in his father's footsteps, he didn't deserve all the grief and strife that had been building up in him over the last few years. Despite remember Norman's last words of Peter not to tell Harry the truth, he couldn't keep that promise forever and he knew that Harry just had to know.

"Harry...your Dad told me not to tell you the truth."

The defeated individual looked at Peter with confusion. "What'd you mean by 'not telling the truth?'"

Peter drew in a shaky sigh. "He...tried to kill me, here, right in this very same place, stabbed by his own glider when he tried to use it to impale me..." The brunette shuddered; he could just sense that Norman would be turning in his grave at the thought of Peter spilling out the truth.

After a stunned silence, Harry could only shake his head in disbelieve. "...No...no, he would never be that sort of man—!"

"He killed those people on that balcony, remember?" Peter retorted. "You were on that balcony too, he tried to kill those kids on that cable car, he tried to kill Mary Jane and he tried to kill Aunt May—"

"LIAR!" Harry charged at Peter in a made fit of rage, but Peter's Spider-Sense helped him to avoid the oncoming madman and sent Harry flying across the room and falling flat on his face.

After his failed charged, Harry didn't look back at Peter and just lay there weeping quietly, almost, as he was too ashamed of avenging his father. "Why...why would he do that? Before he died, his last words to me was that he was wanting to make it all up for me...and is this it?!"

"It's not your fault," Felicia suddenly called out, making both men look back at her in surprised, they had actually forgotten she was there in the first place. "Peter is telling the truth and even if he had murdered your Dad in cold blood, what would the point be in killing Peter? _Nothing_. It would make you look like a terrible person...people would eventually find out what you did to him and your connections to Norman...you don't have to follow in his footsteps and be the villain, is that what you want?"

Both men were stunned, not because these wise words were coming from _Felicia Hardy_ of all people, but that she was absolutely right about the path Harry was heading down.

"She's right," Peter added. "You've got to put this all behind you. Your Dad's gone, nothing can bring him back, that's the hard truth to take I know. I would do _anything_ to bring Uncle Ben back, killing someone won't bring Norman or Uncle Ben back."

Felicia looked down and saw police SWAT squads down below aiming upwards towards the pair, but she looked closely at various red flashing objects round the base of the building. Something was telling her that those flashing things weren't anything to do with the police squads down below...

Harry finally responded with a laugh as he craned his head up towards Peter. "Oh Peter, such a shame it has to come down to this. That said, I knew you were going to still lie about your involvement and say all this bullshit that killing you won't achieve anything...I'll you the later. We probably have nothing to earn from this."

On one of his wrists, both Peter and Felicia glanced at him flicking a flashing red button. For some reason, Felicia's mind suddenly took over her body as she lunged forward at Peter in a split second and crying out to him to get out of here. The brunette was confused by his girlfriend's sudden reaction, however he soon found why that was the case when a huge explosion happened below there and caused the building to shake with such force that the superhero pair fell over.

Then they looked to the sides and could see that the building they were on was starting to collapse and Peter had a sudden thought of Goblin's goons that Peter had taken care of down below. ("Have they gotten out?" Peter pondered briefly as the horrid thought seemed to grip him.)

As everything was collapsing around them, Harry just lay there and started laughing like there was no tomorrow, the laugh that sounded like his late father's. "See you in hell, Parker!"

"Not tonight!" Peter responded by running up towards Harry, scooping him up throwing him over his shoulder and starting to web sling away from the doomed building, with Felicia hot on his tail (neither of them caring that both had forgotten to take back their masks).

Oddly, Harry didn't try and get himself free or yell for his freedom; instead he was silent, almost as if he was willing to accept his fate. As they swung away, Peter looked back at the collapsing building and the screams of the doomed souls nearby, those sounds made him cringe, lives he'd failed to save.

He didn't know what was going to happen next, all he did knew though, was that his time with Harry Osborn, had finally come to an end.

**XXX**

In the wake of their escape, the police had followed the pair to a construction sight a fair distance from where they were before. The oncoming cops though had no idea of what was the cause of it, never mind what was going on with the three escaped individuals in that moment.

On one of the bottom floors, Harry, aka the new Goblin, had been tied up thanks to Spider-Man's webbing and in a strange turn of events, he hadn't said anything nor attempting to try and get himself free for some off reason. Neither did Peter and Felicia seem to understand why he'd be like this, other than the fact that Harry must've of felt so angry with himself that he had failed his father and could only stare back at Peter and Felicia with a glare that would've made even the most harden character shake with fear.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Peter sighed sadly, Harry saying nothing back. "I wish it would never come to this. We were best friends, always there for each other, why did it had to come to this?"

Harry didn't reply.

"You see...we've both been cursed in more ways than one," Peter continued, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. "I never asked for these powers to begin with, neither you or Norman wanted to end up the person you both became and most of all...our own friendship."

Peter shuddered after what he'd said and Felicia could feel the sadness that her lover was feeling. Of all the super villains that he and Felicia had fought together, Peter would've never thought that he would have to take on Harry of all people. "There is nothing I could do for you, we've lost Norman and Otto...I don't want you to end it that way, so I'm letting you live."

Harry once didn't reply, but gave Peter a stunned stare at the mere thought that Peter, aka Spider-Man, was going to let him live.

Then the sounds of the police sirens were getting louder as they were heading towards the site. Peter and Felicia both took one last sad look at Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry," Peter sighed before he and Felicia fired their respected web line and grappling hook and swung away from Harry, there to leave the unfortunate Osborn to his fate.

In truth, both sides had failed and a thought crossed Peter's mind. _"Next to a battle lost, the worse thing is a battle won."_


	10. Sunset For A New Dawn

**Chapter 10**

**Sunset For A New Dawn**

Peter never saw Harry again; neither did Felicia or anyone else for that matter. Once Peter and Felicia had both grudgingly left Harry behind on that construction site, the cops arrived and pretty much arrested Harry on the spot. Oddly enough Harry didn't try to escape, attack nor attempt to prove his innocence to the police, almost as if he was willing to see out his fate and if he had only started to think that Peter wasn't lying about his father's actions and that he wasn't who was thinking he was. To make matters worse for him, that was only the beginning.

When the public and press found out that Harry Osborn was the Goblin, there were both shock and outrage about this, the press in practically had an utter field day on this, except the Daily Bugle who after Harry had decided to sponsor them not long back, had decided to quietly cut all ties with Harry and Oscorp, not to mention of getting themselves far away from anything to do with the Osborn name as much as they could. Though few would likely never let the Bugle forget about all this.

The attacks of the first Goblin, aka Norman Osborn, was still relatively fresh in the minds of many citizens of the city and many over zealous people tried putting two and two together and said that Harry had been responsible for all the attacks that had taken place and had shamed and ruined the Osborn name. Ironically the truth was that pretty much _Norman_ was the true cause of the Goblin legacy and had done the horrible things that Harry had nothing to do, to rub more salt in the wounds for Harry, many said that Norman was a good man and that he would've been ashamed of what Harry had done.

If they only knew the truth...

The court case for Harry was something of a huge event in New York with the Osborne's and the Oscorp name being a major name for many years and that now it would be forever ruined. There was no where left for Harry to go, he didn't give much of a defence in court for himself and the families' of the unfortunate business folk who Norman had murdered on that balcony a year ago were determined to see that Harry face justice.

With Harry not bothering to have a lawyer with him, almost as if he _wanted_ to face doom, the trial lasted a whole day and Harry was placed guilty as charged. However, rather than be sent to prison like many would've wanted, he was to be sent to a mental asylum as when they found out what the serum was that Harry had within in him was making him crazy and that the Judge believed that this was the right thing to do.

Even then it hadn't finished as now with Harry gone, he no longer had any control over Oscorp and the big question now was what to do with it. While many knew that the Oscorp name had become forever toxic over this scandal with Harry, nobody wanted the company to close down completely as it was a major supplier for jobs and technologies for the area and losing it would be catastrophic as a whole. Thus, the company was put up for sale but rather than get a rush of possible buyers for the company, very few turned up and it was likely that the whole connection with Harry Osborn must've been the reason for the lack of interest, except for one.

The one and perhaps the _only_ company that had made a serious offer to acquire Oscorp was Stark Industries, namely it's CEO, Tony Stark. The self-proclaimed eccentric genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist had kept a close eye on the work that Oscorp had been achieving over the years and those close to him were aware that he had been keen on getting at least a share in the company, but he was always was halted by Harry from trying to get something out of his company, mainly as Tony was trying to get a monopoly on developing new technology. But now with Harry finally out of the picture, the time had come for Tony to make his move to buy out Oscorp and quite literally make his mark on it by removing all traces of the word 'Oscorp' and replacing it with Stark Industries. It may of seemed like a vanity move at first, but with the traces of the company linked to the now shamed Harry Osborn, it seemed probably the right thing to do in order to make a fresh start.

In the week after their fearsome battle with Harry, both Peter and Felicia both felt somewhat guilty about leaving Harry behind, though deep down they both knew it was sadly the right thing to do to leave him to his fate.

As they leaned against the railing looking over the city at their penthouse with the sun setting, the couple was silent; Peter especially was feeling terrible about Harry. He could remember when his Aunt May found out what had happened to Harry that she, liked many others, said that Norman would've been ashamed by this. How Peter wished he could say the truth, but even the truth would've been too tragic to hear and that he didn't want to make the situation even worse.

"Wish there was something we could do to help," Peter said after what felt like an age of silence between them. "Harry didn't really deserve this to fall on him."

Felicia sighed, she had heard Peter say this many, many times following Harry's sentencing and shook her head knowing that she would always come up with the same answer. "Peter, there was _nothing_ that could've been done. As soon as he became the new Goblin and did that bank raid, he was totally screwed with his life from then on."

She may have had a less than pleasant way of saying things regarding others, but sadly Peter knew she was right about Harry and what little they could've done.

"Why could've this been some other villain we would take down and not somewhat I know personally?" Peter replied. "What's worse that if you remember Norman and Otto, they were people I knew and they both died."

The sad thing was that although Norman and Otto were both dead, they ironically had it better than what poor Harry had. Norman had died with his dignity intact, never mind not people knowing about his true identity while Otto, despite losing everything near and dear to him, had died a hero when he saved the city from his unstable nuclear fusion reactor. For Harry sadly, he would have none of those and up to the day he'd die, he would always have a black mark forever stained on him. As horrible as it might've sounded like, death seemed like not a bad option.

"What now?" Peter asked his girlfriend. "Other than my aunt and you, I have no one else in my life, Mary Jane has left the city and got married and Harry..."

"Peter," Felicia interrupted her lover and cupped his cheek. "I don't you to be acting like this from now on, I know you and Harry were best friends and all that, but remember what I said years ago that you can't change the past and that what's done is done and that you have to live for the present. Harry has no one to blame but himself. You did the right thing to stop him and we can all live with the knowledge that he can longer bring terror on us. After all, wouldn't want him messing with you now, would we?"

The troubled hero smiled, Felicia always had a special talent of finding something good in a dark moment like now and that she would always stand by her man regardless and support him through thick and thin. Peter then rested his forehead on her own and looked into her eyes. "Ah Felicia, why'd you have to be _so_ wonderful to me?"

"Because in my eyes, you are wonderful to me," Felicia joked. "Not to mention rather handsome...for a guy in tight spandex."

"And for a girl in tight leather, that's the best advice for me," Peter laughed and kissed her briefly before something came to his mind as he glanced at the setting sun. "You know, just thinking about all that this marks the end of an era, no more will the Goblin will ever bother us again, we can move on now, live our lives as heroes and help the city like we set out to do."

"Still wanting to kick some ass and wanting to have some _fun_ with me?" The platinum blonde laughed with clear emphasis on the word 'fun'. "Boy you really made a recovery there over Harry, you are certainly getting better at this!"

In his pocket during that moment, Peter had the small velvet box with the engagement ring in it and the thought of popping the question to Felicia seemed really tempting and he placed his hand in his pocket as he distracted her with another kiss...

Then the sound of sirens could be heard.

Peter muttered a curse under his breath as Felicia pulled away and they both looked down and saw that a police car was in pursuit of a speeding car swerving through traffic.

The two lovers looked at each other and smiled, they both knew that no words were needed, as they both knew what to do.

"After you, Felicia," Peter said in a gentlemen like manner and so they raced back into the penthouse to get changed into their costumes and prepare for another night for crime fighting together. Peter would secretly plan to propose to her once they got back, but they had work to do. But above all from this, Peter was living the hero life he had decided upon and would carry on and in a new era with hopefully a life with Felicia to look out for.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus the story ends! Ending wasn't that good compared to 'Chosen Path', but I did think about having a final swing like before, but I didn't want to copy that ending completely. So yeah, Spidey and Cat will return...soon. I'd like to thank all those who reviewed and have followed this story from the start, hope to see most of you back for the sequel called 'Shadowed Path' and see what new challenges they might face. So until then, catch you guys next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment if you want more! :)


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